Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer
by DigiDestined of Courage
Summary: The D-Reaper has kidnapped Jeri and Calumon in broad daylight! Now it's up to the Tamers to band together for one final mission where they'll have to depend on each other, or perish. Rukato and LeeJuri in these final chapters! Enjoy!
1. Prologue: Takato's Apocalyptic Future

Me: Okay, people-you thought I'd take a vacation after seeing at least part of the new Tamers episode-think again! I don't own Digimon in any form. Before I get started, this story is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer story called "The Lost Slayer." Also, this story is dedicated to every Rukato/LeeJuri fan out there-that I know of: Frozen Phoenix, silverlily, ML of Gryffindor-hope I got that right!-max acorn, FlameGaruru, Ruki Kamiya, Steeldramon21, AnT and any others I've failed to mention. If I didn't mention you, trust me-if you're a Rukato/LeeJuri fan, this one's dedicated to you! Say it with me, now: RUKATO FOREVER! 

Takato: (sniffs) Forever... 

Rika: Nice dedication, but you and I-we've got a major problem. (grabs me by my throat and chokes slowly) Last time I checked, you sent my Gogglehead into the future! What's gonna happen to him, will he make it back, and is he going to be hurt in anyway? 

Me: (strains to breathe) You'll have to...wait and see...(coughs) 

Takato: Rika, let him go! Trust me-I'll be back in one piece! Right now, I'm just a spirit and you really can't hurt a spirit. 

Rika: (eyes Takato, then turns back toward me and lets go) You're lucky he's here! 

Me: (coughs) Yeah...real lucky...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Prologue-Takato's Apocalyptic Future   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Humans and Digimon are meant to fight together!" -Takato Matsuki 

"Come on, Takato-you can do it!" -Lopmon, Azulongmon Explains All   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


And you thought the Tamers' job was finished? Not by a long shot! Takato gets the idea in his head that he, Rika, Henry and Jeri are practically invincible and that no Digimon could defeat them as long as they worked as a team. With Daemon popping up in the picture, that soon changed things. Even with all four Mega Digimon working together, they still couldn't defeat Daemon! To make matters worse, all it took for Daemon to defeat the Tamers was two clear shots of his Evil Inferno attack. Then, Beelzemon flew in on the Tamers in exquisite pain thanks to the Tamer of Darkness! He was deleted by Daemon and absorbed. As for the Tamer of Darkness, he not only took over Takato's body, but sent Takato's spirit forward through time! 

Where's he gonna end up, and can he ever get back home to stop it from ever happening?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Haven't you ever wondered what the future would be like for you, goody-two shoes? HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO FIND OUT!" 

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Takato Matsuki screamed as his clone forced him out of his own body, sent him flying through a time stream and with the use of his transformed Digivice, merged Takato with his future half 5 years into the future! 

Groaning, Takato's future half realized two things as he woke up: one, two souls were merged into one body; two, he was quite hungry. Takato's past half realized two things as well: one, he was in the future; two, his future self was captured by somebody inside an abandoned warehouse. 

"Takatomon!" 

Laughing, Takato knew he wasn't alone-he had Guilmon with him! "Guilmon! Hey, where are we, boy? Are we still in West Shinjuku, or what?" 

"We've been here for at least five years. Don't you remember, Takato?" 

Takato forced himself to recall what had occurred five years ago...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Flashback 

The Tamer of Darkness had taken over Takato's body entirely! The other Tamers-Rika, Henry and Jeri-had been forced to helplessly watch as Takato's clone glared at Daemon with a look of defiance. 

"If you're gonna kill me, you're gonna have to kill my good half off, too!" 

"Don't you dare touch a hair on Takato's head!" Rika yelled angrily, struggling to get back up on her feet and put herself between Daemon and the Tamer of Darkness. 

"Actually, I had a better idea in mind." Raising his hand up, Daemon focused on a spot in his mind, and concentrated with little effort. The Tamer of Darkness wailed as he was jerked out of Takato's body with ease, then merged with Daemon. Seconds later, Takato's spirit reappeared back in the present and was reunited with his body. 

"Takato! Are you all right?" Rika asked immediately. Groaning, Takato eyed his surroundings while getting back up and responded, "I'll live." 

"Not for long. One of you could prove useful to me in the upcoming days of conquest. Certainly not the leader. Oh, you have been possessed by Darkness, but I'm sure you know how to combat it by now." 

"In all honesty, I can't even combat Darkness unless its staring me in the face, which is what you seem to be doing right now." Takato replied, a meek grin on his face. 

"The so-called 'Digimon Queen' would've been of use to me in the old days, but as of late, you've allowed emotion to overtake you!" 

Narrowing her eyes as Takato helped her back up, Rika growled, "I've always felt emotion my entire life-I just never acted on it until now!" 

"As for the saccharine girl, she would be of no use to me in the upcoming days. The brainiac, on the other hand, would be perfect!" 

Raising his hand up once more, Daemon focused his gaze on Henry and instantly, the young boy cried out in pain as he felt something clutching at his heart! 

"Henry!" Jeri screamed worriedly. 

"Fight it, Henry! Think of your parents, of Susie, your other sisters, your friends! You can do it, Henry-just fight this!" Terriermon pleaded. Henry gasped as he struggled to fight, but a concentrated spout of fire exited Daemon's fingertips and entered inside his body! Groaning, Henry slumped forward and was still. 

"It...it can't be." Takato whispered in shock. Terriermon expected to be deleted almost immediately, since if a Tamer died while in battle, the Digimon partner was deleted moments afterward. To his surprise, he was perfectly fine. 

That's when it happened-multiple explosions from all around the Tamers as hordes of Digimon appeared from Digital fields! 

"What the heck's going on?!" Rika demanded. 

"An invasion?" Takato suggested. 

"That's it-an invasion, from my realm, the Dark Ocean! All the Digimon whom you've bested in battle-even some you haven't faced yet-are coming to take over your world and destroy you!" Daemon laughed evilly as the remaining Tamers and their Digimon managed to gather in a huddle. 

"What's the plan?" Rika asked immediately. 

"I'm leaning toward blind panic, but I don't think that would work out in this case." Takato reported briefly. 

"We could circle them and attack from below." Renamon advised. 

"I thought most of these guys could fly." Jeri objected. 

"Trying to figure out an idea now isn't the best course, so I suggest we regroup and figure out what we're going to do." Leomon said. 

"I'm not leavin' without Henry!" Terriermon insisted. 

"Not much choice there-" 

Takato's explanation was interrupted by the entrance of IceDevimon! 

"No way! G-Guilmon absorbed your data-how?" Takato stammered. 

"Luck and additional data floating around. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've come for my Tamer." 

"Over my dead body!" Rika retorted defiantly. 

"If that's what you wish. Frozen Claw!!" 

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Takato turned and pushed Rika out of the way of the deadly ice attack, taking the full effect for himself! Half of his body was frozen to the ground, and he was already feeling numb all over. 

"Get him out of there!" Rika yelled, attempting to chip away at the ice block with her Digivice. 

"Don't you pass out on me-we'll get you out of there soon enough, Takato." 

"That won't be a problem." Before anybody could make a move, Daemon made a motioning move with his hands and a rope entirely created from fire appeared around Takato's body! Seconds later, he and Guilmon-who'd tried to free him from the ice block-were hoisted up in the air by the Mega Digimon! 

"Hey-bring him back!" Rika demanded heatedly, racing off after the Digimon with the others behind her, forgetting about Henry's motionless body. Seconds later, Henry got back up on his feet, his eyes not their normal color, but a dark red...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


End flashback 

"So, we've been trapped here for five years? That really puts a damper on things, doesn't it?" 

"Pretty much. How are we going to get out of here, Takato? They boarded up the windows so we can't escape, and guards block the doorway. They bring us food and bread every few hours." 

Takato considered the possibilities of escape and saw that their chances were extremely slim. 

"At least I got to keep my Modify cards and my Digivice." Takato pulled out his golden Digivice and noticed the markings around the golden circle had faded slightly but were still readable. 

"Now, let's see if I've still got the right combos." Takato pocketed his Digivice and pulled out his Modify cards, scanning for the right ones. "Hyper Speed, Speed, Power, Strength, Hyper Wings, Digivolution...here it is! Get ready, boy!" 

Digimodify! 

"Digimodify!" Takato yelled while swiping the card through. "Digmon's Drill, activate!" 

Within seconds, Guilmon had a pair of drills on his forearms. Being inside a warehouse meant that the floors were rotted and made of wood. Guilmon drilled through them within minutes. Five minutes afterward, Takato and Guilmon ended up back on the outside. 

"What happened, Guilmon?!" 

Takato was in pure astonishment as he and his partner gazed at the destruction of his hometown. It had been completely leveled throughout the five years they'd been captured! Buildings were totaled, the school had been demolished, and most of the stores were gone. The only thing left standing was the park in West Shinjuku. 

"Complete and utter destruction, that's what happened, my friend." 

Takato and Guilmon turned around to see Henry Wong, his eyes their normal color, wearing his normal clothing and with his Digivice strapped to his side. 

Houston, we have a problem! Has Henry gone over to the Dark Side of the Force, or is that just a ploy? Find out the answers next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	2. Chapter I: The Surviving Tamers

Me: So far, I'm impressed-the prologue is quite a hit! This next chapter of "The Lost Tamer" should focus on Takato's reunion with the surviving Tamers. 

Takato: Which ones survived the apocalypse, huh? Was Rika one of them? 

Me: Um... 

Takato: (frantic) Well?! Was she one of the survivors, huh? ANSWER ME! (starts shaking me repeatedly by the shoulders) 

Me: Trust me...you'll find out soon enough...NOW LET GO! 

Takato: (releases me) I'd better.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter I-The Surviving Tamers   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"We want to protect this world as much as you do!" -Guilmon 

"I've got to make him understand!" -Takato Matsuki   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


To be blunt about this entire debacle, Takato's soul was sent flying five years into an apocalyptic future where evil reigned supreme! Takato was merged with his future half and he remembered the events that led up to his capture by IceDevimon. But now that Takato and Guilmon are free, all of Tokyo is practically under Digimon control! And now Takato and Guilmon have run into Henry, who supposedly died five years ago thanks to Daemon. Question is, is Henry truly alive, or has he crossed over? Looks like we're about to find out!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Henry? Is-is that you?" Takato stammered in surprise, cautiously stepping forward in his old friend's direction. 

"In the flesh." 

Narrowing his eyes a bit, Takato studied Henry Wong. His hair had been trimmed a bit, but other than that, he still wore the orange vest he'd had years ago, the same sunglasses covering his eyes and the green Digivice at his hip. 

"Where are Rika and the others?" 

"They're safe, but we gotta get moving, otherwise we'll be in a lot of trouble." Henry made a motioning move backward at that statement and started running. Takato sighed under his breath as he started forward in order to keep up with Henry. 

"What happened to you? Last I saw, you were literally taking a dirt nap at the school five years ago!" 

Keeping his face from being seen, Henry responded, "You guys left just as I was waking up." 

At that moment, Guilmon stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes dilated like they usually were whenever trouble was near. 

"What's wrong, boy? Is it an evil Digimon?" Takato asked, preparing to pull out a Modify card. 

"That's not Henry, Takatomon. It may look like him, but it's not him." Guilmon rasped, immediately jumping in front of his Tamer, putting himself in between Takato and Henry. 

"What are you talking about? Of course it's Henry! I think you've been trapped in that warehouse for too long, Guilmon." Takato objected, his back turned away from Henry. His eyes flashing a dangerous red, Henry prepared to pull out a knife from his back pocket when someone screamed, "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" 

Takato, Guilmon and Henry all turned to see...Jeri! She was holding Leomon's sword tightly in her right hand, her normally sweet eyes blazing with a fire Takato would see in Rika's own violet eyes-the urge to battle! 

"I won't let you take away another one of my friends again! I'd rather die instead!" 

Pulling out a knife that was very familiar to Takato, Henry hissed, "That can be arranged...my sweet." 

At that challenge, Jeri leaped upward in the air, the sword pointed directly at Henry's chest. Just as Jeri was about to lunge forward with the sword, Henry raised the knife and deflected Jeri's blow, sending her down to the ground. 

"Hey, Henry-think you could try that trick with me? Bunny Blast!!" 

Confused, Takato and Guilmon watched Terriermon firing a number of what could be large pellets aimed at Henry! Growling, the young Tamer batted most of them back, but roared as he was hit by a few of them. 

"Can't leave us out of it, right, Chumly?" 

Smirking, Kazu and Kenta entered in with MarineAngemon at Kenta's side. 

"Apparently, it seems like I was tracked down. Trust me-this isn't over yet, guys-not by a long shot." That said, Henry turned to eye Takato and dropped the knife at his feet. 

"Momentie, Henry. I think it is over-Calumon?" 

A second later, the tiny In-Training Digimon revealed himself on top of a tree branch, the red triangle on his head glowing brightly. 

Digivolution! 

"Terriermon Digivolve to...GARGOMON!!!" 

"Takato, you and Guilmon should move right now. Gargo Lasers!!" 

"Move, Guilmon!" Takato screamed, grabbing his partner-as well as the knife-and avoiding the hail of bullets that were heading for the two of them as well as Henry! 

"Nice try, Terriermon, but I've got a surprise or two up my sleeve! Cyberdramon, attack!" 

Takato's eyes widened in shock and fear as the Ultimate Digimon appeared, his eyes glowing a fiery red color like Henry's were at that time. 

"Cyberdramon, you know what to do!" 

"Desolation Claw!!" The powerful attack skyrocketed toward Gargomon and the other Tamers! 

"MarineAngemon, block it!" Kenta demanded calmly. 

"Got it! Ocean Love!!" 

The two attacks collided before exploding brightly in the skies above them! 

"But-but how? Why would Ryo side with Henry?" Takato stammered. 

"He didn't. Ryo's dead." Jeri replied. At that statement, Takato swiveled toward Jeri, his face readable to only her. 

"Dead...? Are you sure, Jeri?" 

"I'm positive, Takato. He died the same day as Leomon." 

"Look out, Kenta!" Kazu yelled, the two friends diving to the ground to avoid Cyberdramon's attack. 

"I wasn't aiming for you brats!" the Ultimate Digimon hissed angrily. 

"Then who...?" 

Kazu's question was interrupted as Calumon was whacked off of his tree branch and slammed into by one swipe of Cyberdramon's fist, injuring the In-Training Digimon greatly! 

"Calumon...hang on!" Takato begged, running toward Calumon's position. 

"Digimodify! Avenging Knight, activate!" 

Takato facefaulted in amazement-Henry had swiped that card! Instantly, two long spears appeared in Cyberdramon's hands. 

"Stop right there!" the Ultimate Digimon growled while throwing the spears at Takato's body! 

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh noooooooo!" Calumon screamed as the triangle on his head glowed even brighter than it had before. 

Matrix Digivolution! 

"Guilmon Matrix Digivolve to..." 

"Gargomon Matrix Digivolve to..." 

"...WARGROWLMON!!!" 

"...RAPIDMON!!!" 

The two Ultimate Digimon jumped in front of Takato, grabbed the two spears and threw them right back at Cyberdramon! They hit on impact, and the Ultimate Digimon roared as he was deleted, the data equally divided between WarGrowlmon and Rapidmon. 

"Wow. I didn't know Digimon could share energy like that!" Takato admitted calmly, picking up Calumon in his arms and holding him tightly. 

"Come on, Chumly-we'd better get going while we have a chance!" Kazu advised, breaking into a run with Kenta and MarineAngemon at his heels. 

"Takato, we'll take you somewhere safe." Jeri insisted, her smile back on her face as if it had never left. 

"Come on, WarGrowlmon!" Takato demanded, running alongside Jeri and noticing the two powerhouses deDigivolve into Guilmon and Terriermon before catching up to them. 

Henry simply stood there, his eyes returning to their normal color and a devilish smile plastered on his face. 

"Soon, my brother, you will return to me...and with our partners, the world shall be ours for the taking!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Guys, where are we going? And what happened to Henry?" Takato gasped out as they finally came to a stop near the remains of the school. 

"We're goin' back to the Digital World, where our base is at! It's practically all we had left since our 'compadre' back there took over the Real World." Kazu replied quickly. 

"Guys, I know I haven't been able to talk with you much since Guilmon and I have been trapped for five years, but I have to know-WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON HERE?!" Takato screamed impatiently, veins bulging out of his forehead as his anger started to escalate. 

"Calm down, Takato. You'll scare Calumon." Jeri insisted. Takato looked up at Jeri and nodded, forcing himself to calm down. He took a few deep breaths in and out, in and out, then visibly relaxed. 

"Thanks. Now, what's been going on? The last thing I remember seeing was Henry dying at Daemon's hands, and now he's taken over the world?" 

"Not the world-just this part of Japan. He controls the entire city, wants to eventually conquer the world sooner or later, wants to destroy us rather than keep us as slaves, yadda, yadda, yadda." Terriermon responded. 

"Terriermon, not now!" Jeri spat out irritably. 

"Hey-I'm just tellin' it like it is." 

"You're leaving out the obvious parts here, pal. Chumly, here's the 411 on the whole Armageddon deal: after you were captured by IceDevimon, Henry was killed, that much is true. From what evidence we gathered up, that beam of fire Daemon sent at him? It consumed his spirit entirely and left a demon in his guise. A few months later, after we'd gotten over your capture and Henry's death as best we could, guess who ends up doing the one thing I wanted to happen all year-Henry completely annihilates the school with one gigantic fireball! Before we knew it, hordes of Digimon are killing us humans off without even flinching! Ryo and Leomon were the lucky ones-they were killed off immediately, seen as a major threat by the Tamer of Evil." 

"'Tamer of Evil?'" Takato interrupted briefly. 

"Yeah-obviously, Henry thought your clone had a wimpy name and decided to come up with an even better one!" 

"Okay." Takato steeled himself for what he was going to ask next. "What happened to Rika?" 

"Hold on there, Takato. Those of us Tamers who survived, we managed to make it back to the Digital World after Henry killed off our parents right in front of our eyes." 

Takato felt a chill run through his veins like ice. "My parents?" 

"They tried to protect the girls, even as they died, which meant Susie-who, along with Lopmon, were killed off by her 'big bwother,'-Jeri, who had Leomon's sword as a memento and Rika, who, against her mother's wishes, changed her name the day after you were captured and presumed dead two days later!" 

"To-to what? And where is she?" Takato repeated, feeling his anger resurface. 

Before Kazu could speak, Jeri interrupted him, gazing deep into Takato's brown eyes. 

"She changed her last name to Matsuki and mentioned that the two of you were married, Takato. And..." Jeri paused to wipe some tears away before continuing. "...she and Renamon left us after we'd made it back to the Digital World, convinced you weren't dead. They hunted down Henry, battled briefly and never returned." 

Takato held back a cry of anguish. All this had happened because of his arrogance! If he'd only been more cautious in the past, maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't have happened. 

"Let's go, Takato. We've got to start making arrangements for our next battle..." 

Jeri was interrupted by a tiny groan from Takato's arms. Concerned, the Tamers looked down at Calumon, who was slowly deleting before their eyes! 

"Calumon, when did this happen?!" Takato exclaimed worriedly. 

"Probably when Cyberdramon hit me before with his hand. I would've survived it, if I hadn't made Guilmon and Terriermon Digivolve, but you were in trouble." 

Takato felt another sob come up out of his throat. Another innocent's blood-even if Calumon was only data-on his hands, all because of his impatience! 

"Why, Calumon?! I could've dodged those spears. You didn't have to make them Digivolve!" 

"I wanted to help one last time. You've always been so kind, and brave, and awesome, just like Rika was!" 

Sniffling, Takato hugged the In-Training Digimon tightly, even as his body began to break up into even smaller pieces of data. 

"I'll always be with you guys, forever and ever and ever..." 

Smiling for the last time, Calumon dissolved completely in Takato's arms, the data floating toward Guilmon, who was crying himself. 

"I think...Calumon wants you to absorb his data, Guilmon." Kenta croaked out. 

The Rookie Digimon eyed his Tamer, who nodded in response. Preparing himself, Guilmon absorbed Calumon's data at that instant. 

"Come on, guys. We'd better get going." Jeri repeated with insistence in her voice, the sword sheathed at her side. The others nodded before heading deep into the ruins of the school, another portal underneath the schoolgrounds. 

"You're kidding me?! Another portal-under here, this entire time?" 

"Yep. Just goes to show how ignorant we are of simple school buildings, right, guys?" 

"Terriermon! Aren't you hurt at all by what just happened?" Jeri ranted heatedly. Turning away, the Rookie Digimon wiped his tears away with one of his ears before leaping up onto Takato's shoulder. 

"These days, I make jokes to hide the pain, not to get a laugh." 

"It's okay, Terriermon. It'll be okay." Takato consoled his friend's old partner before heading into another portal alongside the others. At that second, Takato remembered the words Rika had said to him in his dream over five years ago-"Don't underestimate him...Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer, Takato...don't underestimate him, even if he was our friend..." Right then, Takato knew without a shadow of a doubt that Rika had been talking about Henry. 

Oh ,no! Henry, Beelzemon, Ryo, Leomon, the Tamers' parents, possibly Rika, Renamon, Cyberdramon and Calumon are gone! Who's gonna end up next on the list of casualties? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	3. Chapter II: Trapped in the Dark

Me: Okay, folks-I don't own Digimon, nor do I own Hoobastank's song "Crawling In The Dark!" After listening to it a moderate amount of times, this song fits with this upcoming chapter quite well- 

Rika: Yeah, yeah, yeah-you're a song fanatic as well as a moderate writer-where's Takato gone to?! 

Me: (snaps fingers in irritation) Darn it! I knew there was someone I forgot to contact about this chapter. 

Rika: Are you telling me he isn't here? Come here. (grins evilly) 

Me: My mom's done this countless times, and I never listened to her. What makes you think I'd listen to you? 

Rika: 'Cause your mom wouldn't beat you to death with a pair of brass knuckles! 

Me: Good point. By the way, Rika's brass knuckles aren't mine-had to add that in for personal effect and I was hoping it would get a laugh out of a fellow Rukato fan. Also, this chapter introduces the level above Mega that will be in Season IV-I'd tell you, but that would ruin the chapter, wouldn't it? 

Rika: No it wouldn't.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter II-Trapped in the Dark   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Carrying your partner around in public is a good way to attract chicks." -Henry Wong   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


And we all thought Takato would find peace while trapped in that pseudo-world known to him as home? Yeah, right! He's run into Henry, who turns out to be a demon in disguise as his friend as well as the other Tamers who've changed a lot-Jeri doesn't have Leomon with her anymore, but has his sword by her side; Kazu and Kenta still look like they're the same wisecracking team they've always been. Ryo's been dead for as long as Takato's been trapped in that warehouse and somehow, Henry gained control of Cyberdramon. To make matters even worse, Rika decided to free Takato from whatever prison he'd been in, faced Henry down and never came back! Then, Calumon sacrificed himself to save Takato from certain doom by having Guilmon and Gargomon Matrix Digivolve. What's Takato gonna find while he's in this Digital World? Your guess is as good as mine!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato knew one thing-seeing his hometown destroyed would actually be considered paradise after seeing the destruction of the Digital World! Things looked even worse here than they did back in the Real World. 

"What happened here?" 

"The usual-invading Digimon from the Real World come over here, trash everything, destroy all the Digimon regardless of level-from In-Training to Mega, mind you-all thanks to a power boost from the powerhouse formerly known as Daemon." Terriermon quipped from his position on Takato's left shoulder. 

"Huh? 'Powerhouse?' What are you talking about?" Takato asked, his mind swimming to understand all this newfound information being piled up inside his head within seconds! 

"Oh-that's right. You've been a prisoner at-wherever you were at." Kazu noted grimly. "Anyway, once Henry killed off our parents and we'd exited stage right to the Digital World, seems like there was no need for Daemon's power anymore. Our old brainiac pal could conjure up his own fireballs if necessary, though he prefers the martial arts technique over digital energy. So, he had Daemon trapped inside the old Hypnos building somewhere where Digimon syphon off his enormous energy day after day!" 

"That's how they were able to delete all the Digimon in the Digital World-they used Daemon as a power source!" Takato declared, slapping his fist into his palm with increased anger. 

"Right! And, until you busted out, we were caught between a rock and a hard place on who was gonna be our guinea pig for our latest and newest Modify card." Kenta responded briefly. 

"What?" Confused, Takato looked up and gazed in awe at the base that seemed to appear from out of nowhere! "There's no way you guys could've created this! We haven't even finished school!" 

"In case you're startin' to lose your mind, Takato-there is no school!" Kazu retorted in Takato's ear, causing him to plug his ears up in pain before grabbing his old friend by the collar. 

"I've been trapped inside a rotting warehouse for five years! Excuse me if I need to catch up on the times, okay?!" 

"Stop fighting!" Jeri demanded impatiently while separating Takato and Kazu from each other. "We don't have time for you two to play 'king of the mountain!' Someone has to try this new Modify card." 

"What Modify card? And if you guys didn't build this place, who did?" 

"That would be I. Pleased to see you alive and well." 

Takato's eyes widened in surprise as he found himself being stared at by Yamaki, the former leader of the Hypnos project! 

"It feels like I'm shaking hands with the devil! How do I know that the future choices I make from here on out won't be the wrong ones, either? Guess I'll just have to take my chances. That kind of thinking is what got you here to begin with, Matsuki!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I will dedicate and sacrifice my everything for just a second's worth of how my story's ending 

And I wish I could know if the directions that I take and all the choices that I make won't end up all for nothing 

Chorus: Show me what it's for-make me understand it! 

I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer 

Is there something more than what I've been handed? 

I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"How'd you-how'd you survive Henry's attack?" Takato stammered. 

"One of the advantages of being the former head of a powerful company is being prepared for every indication of an immediate attack. It's honestly good to see you again, Matsuki. The scale could tip in our favor, or as the Americans would say, 'the ball is now in our court.'" 

"Uh-huh." Takato made no pretense to hide his sarcasm from an old foe/friend. "You guys expect me to just hop back into battle like nothing's happened?! I just learned what my friend did to the entire city in just under three years! And, to add insult to injury, he killed off our parents...he even took Rika away from me..." 

"I understand your loss, Matsuki. Everyone of your friends shares your pain, but time, unfortunately, is of the essence. Your friend seems to be quite adept at making these 'Digimon' cards and created one that looks too high-tech for anyone here to try. Since you've finally returned from beyond the grave, maybe you would like to give it a try." 

Takato struggled to keep his emotions under control. Rika would probably say something to him at this time, like, "crying is a weakness!" Sniffling quietly, he plucked the card from Yamaki's hand and gazed at it. 

The card truly looked futuristic. A sword with a red hilt and a long blade-gold at the top half of the blade and silver split down the middle and continued down toward the hilt. 

"Cool! What's it called?" Takato asked to himself. 

"Give it a swipe. What's the worse that could happen?" Terriermon asked calmly. 

"This base could blow up, it could be a dud, Kazu could end up being even worse at drawing than I could ever be..." Takato retorted cynically. 

"You have learned well, young grasshopper." Terriermon reported, keeping his giggles to a dull roar. 

"Ha-ha-ha. Just swipe the card, Chumly." 

Digimodify! 

"Digimodify!" Takato demanded with a voice of authority. "Sword of Courage, activate!" 

Seconds later, a brilliant sword appeared in the air, complete with a red hilt, a golden blade that started at the top and stopped in the middle, where it seemed to change color, from gold into silver. Takato grasped the sword in his hand, admiring it and raising his Digivice to see that it had changed into a scabbard long enough to support his sword and to make sure he didn't fall over. 

"Amazing!" Kenta exclaimed. 

"It looks beautiful, Takato." Jeri said. 

"Thank Kazu for making this card!" Takato responded as the aforementioned Tamer pulled out his Digivice and scanned the sword. 

"The sword can be scanned, guys! It's called: The Sword of Courage. A powerful Hybrid-type weapon capable of vanquishing any Digimon from In-Training to Mega!" 

"In other words..." Takato began excitedly. 

"...Hybrid's a level higher than Mega!" Kazu finished, slapping Kenta a high-five. "Who's da man? Who's da man? Huh? Who's da man?" 

"Sure, there's reason to celebrate, but the question is, does it work?" Yamaki questioned with a pointed glare at the Tamers.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Help me carry on-assure me it's okay to use my heart and not my eyes to navigate the darkness 

Will the ending be ever coming suddenly? Will I ever get to see the ending to my story? 

Chorus: Show me what it's for, make me understand it! 

I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer 

Is there something more than what I've been handed? 

I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Does that mean you won't need me to battle anymore, Takatomon?" 

Smiling, Takato shook his head. "Are you kidding, boy? This means if we come across a Mega that Gallantmon can't handle, I can just mop things up with the Sword of Courage!" A moment or so later, the sword disappeared and the scabbard changed back into Takato's Digivice. 

"With this weapon, I believe we can launch a final attack on the Tamer of Evil and his Digimon minions. And for this one, I will join you. We'll split up into two teams-Matsuki, you'll be with Jeri, Kazu and Guardromon." 

Irritated, Terriermon cleared his throat loudly for everyone to hear. 

"As well as Terriermon. Kenta, you and MarineAngemon are with me. We attack at daybreak. The three of you will take on Hypnos while the rest of us handle what's left of the park." 

Nodding in agreement, the Tamers prepared themselves to go to sleep, except for Takato. Things had gone from bad to climatic in just a matter of seconds! 

"How can I lead them back into battle? I almost got into a fistfight with an old friend-two of them, and one of them's a demon! Whatever the case, I can't show any emotion at all until this entire thing is over and done with." Takato made a silent vow to himself, not knowing he would soon break it. 

"Takato? Are you awake?" 

Slightly startled, Takato turned to see Jeri, a worried look crossing her features. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" 

Knowing Jeri was someone he could trust-probably the only one alive he could trust, besides Guilmon-Takato shook his head. "I'm not. I'm left in the dark for five years, and my entire world is turned upside down in what seems like minutes to me! How will I know if I'm doing the right thing by leading you guys back into battle tomorrow?" 

"You'll know-it'll all come back to you during the night. Don't worry, Takato. Just think of Rika and what she would do if she was still alive right now." 

Blushing heavily, Takato had a feeling in the back of his mind that he knew precisely what Rika would do if she was alive at this moment. 

"Point taken. Good night, Jeri." 

"Good night, Takato." 

"Jeri..." 

Takato waited until Jeri was staring at him, eyes fixated on his before speaking. 

"...I'm sorry about Henry. You know I'll have to face him tomorrow." 

"That's not Henry, so you don't have anything to feel sorry about. The Henry I know wouldn't kill his own sister, his family, our families, wouldn't order Leomon and Ryo executed in front of us as an example and without a shadow of a doubt, wouldn't kill his best friend's soulmate."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Bridge: So when and how will I know? 

How much further do I have to go? (Have to go...) 

How much longer until I finally know? (I finally know...) 

'Cause I'm looking and I just can't see what's in front of me-in front of me! 

Chorus: Show me what it's worth, make me understand it-I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer! 

Is there something more than what I've been handed? I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer! (song continues; ends abruptly)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Hours before daybreak, the Tamer of Evil known as Henry snuck deep into the park in West Shinjuku, not even bothering to cover his tracks. Only Digimon controlled the city, and the few humans who'd agreed to his new world order wouldn't even dare challenge him face to face. Minutes later, the young Tamer found himself at a familiar setting-a setting so familiar, it could almost be considered someone's home. He managed to get inside and eyed the captive prisoner on the wall, a seductive smile on his face. 

"I honestly don't understand what he saw in you. Sure, you've grown into quite a looker, that much is known, but seriously, tell me-with the way you treated the both of us, even after he tried to pierce that shield of yours, aren't you a little curious to find out what he really thought of you? Well, here's your chance to find out-they've decided to launch a full-scale attack with seriously depleted numbers. With the rest of the team, they might've stood a chance. Sadly enough, they're all dead-even your sweet-as-pie 'Eskimo Kisses' counterpart Calumon has been deleted. 

That means that soon everyone will be dead with the exception of one of them. Take a guess-who am I gonna leave alive?" 

Wonder who Henry's talkin' to? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out, though. What could Henry have in mind for the remaining survivors of the Tamer team? And will Takato do what he needs to do without hesitation? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	4. Chapter III: Takato V.S. Daemon

Me: Okay, people-we've made it to the 3rd chapter! Surprised, aren't you? I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "Papercut" by Linkin Park. 

Takato: Yeah, yeah, yeah-where's Rika at?! 

Me: Whoa-touchy, aren't we? 

Takato: Being like this has kept me alive for as long as I can remember. Now where's Rika gone to? 

Me: She went to look for you-what else would she do? 

Takato: Point taken. (races off) Hang on, Rika-I'M COMING TO SAVE YOU! 

Me: (groans) He didn't need to act that hyper about it! Oh, well. Onward to the story.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter III-Takato V.S. Daemon   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Well, it seemed like a really good idea at the time!" -Takato Matsuki 

"When I get through with you, the Devas are gonna seem like a cartful of kitty cats!" -Rika Nonaka   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


At least Takato and the Tamers aren't entirely alone in this revolt-Yamaki was the only other survivor against Henry's control over the city. Kazu created a new Modify card, but with the Tamers' numbers seriously depleted, no one had the courage to try it until Takato and Guilmon returned to the Digital World with the others. Now, with the Sword of Courage as part of Takato's arsenal, they've got a fighting chance against Henry and his team of evil Digimon! However, it sounds like the former Tamer's ready for them, and he has a little surprise locked up somewhere. Wonder who it could be?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato Matsuki narrowed his eyes and shielded them from the glaring sun that was blazing directly on them upward in the sky. His team, which consisted of himself, Guilmon, Terriermon, Jeri, Kazu and Guardromon, had gotten up directly at the crack of dawn in order to have an advantage against Henry and his band of Digimon warriors. The only problem was that when they'd crawled up from the remains of the school, according to Kazu's watch, it was 10:00 in the morning. They'd lost four hours while just barely making the journey from the Digital World to the Real World! And, they'd lost another 30 minutes just making it over to the old Hypnos building alone. 

"So, how are we gonna bust in? Should we ring the bell and announce, 'Hey! Could you guys let us in so we can delete you and absorb your data 'cause with you guys in control of our city, it really gives it a bad name as a proper place to live!'" Terriermon noted cynically. 

"Terriermon..." Kazu began irritably, but Takato hushed him with a raised finger up to his lips. 

"Let him. It's how he functions during dangerous situations-you should know. He's been doing this ever since he first became Henry's partner, and he's not likely to stop now just 'cause his Tamer changed sides." 

"Seriously, how are we going to get in?" Jeri whispered. Takato considered how thick the doors were and how much force it would take to break them down. In response to Jeri's question, he pulled out a Modify card and his Digivice. 

"Digimodify." Takato responded quietly, as to not alert any evil Digimon to their location. "Digivolution, activate." 

"Guilmon Digivolve to...GROWLMON!!!" 

Eyeing the gigantic Champion Digimon, Takato cautioned, "Don't use your PyroBlaster attack." 

"Right. Dragon Slash!!" 

"Wait-" Takato winced as he heard the attack collide with the doors, effectively breaking them down but making a lot of noise at the same time! 

Groaning, Takato glared at his partner as he deDigivolved back into Guilmon, who had a sheepish look on his face. "Sorry." 

"Uh-huh. Guys..." Takato made sure to pointedly stare at his partner, Terriermon, Guardromon, Kazu and Jeri before responding in a cold voice. 

"Henry's mine."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Why does it feel like night today? 

Something in here's not right today-why am I so uptight today? 

Paranoia's all I got left 

I don't know what stressed me first or how the pressure was fed, but I know just what it feels like to have a voice in the back of my head 

It's like a face that I hold inside, a face that awakes when I close my eyes, a face that watches every time I lie, a face that laughs every time I fall (and watches everything!) 

So I know that when it's time to sink or swim that the face inside is hearing me right underneath my skin!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Kenta, MarineAngemon and Yamaki had gotten up at the same time as the others, but for them, it had taken longer to arrive at their intended destination since the park at West Shinjuku was a little farther to reach than the old Hypnos building, but they'd made it at the same time the others made it to where they had to be-at 10:30 sharp. 

"Remember-" Yamaki narrowed his eyes from behind his shades as he pulled out a .45 automatic and turned off the safety before turning to face the young Tamer and his partner. "-be sure not to miss. In this battle, survival counts for everything. For every shot you make, remember your old friends and family members who died in the beginning days of this war: Wong and his family, Akiyama and his family, Matsuki's family, Nonaka's family...got it?" 

With a weak grin, Kenta piped up, "You forgot to mention Jeri's family, mine and Kazu's." 

"I meant to. We've got company." 

"What?" Turning in shock, Kenta saw a significant number of Virus Digimon were coming in from the horizon, prepared for an attack! 

"I'll handle the first wave-you and your partner back me up on any targets I miss." 

"Hey! We're supposed to be a team on this, remember?" 

"My first priority is to keep you and your friends from Death's door, and I've promised every one of your parents that I would do that-this was before their deaths, by the way. If anything happened to any of you, your blood would be on my hands." 

"You didn't make that promise about Takato, but he's out there leading-" 

"Enough talking, start fighting!" MarineAngemon spat out impatiently as they were rained on by hordes of Digimon! "Ocean Love!!" 

Seconds after the Mega Digimon fired numerous attacks and deleted most of the first wave, Yamaki fired round after round and either deleted or seriously injured the remaining members of the first wave of invading Digimon! 

Successfully, MarineAngemon absorbed all the data floating around, and since there was a lot of data, that just made him stronger than before-at least, that's what Kenta hoped. 

"This went better than I thought it would." Kenta responded. 

"Hey, guys! So glad you could join us for our little party!" a voice exclaimed. Kenta, MarineAngemon and Yamaki all turned to see Henry Wong, a mocking grin on his face. 

"It's time for you to meet your Maker!" Yamaki growled while firing shot after shot at the Tamer. Without moving, Henry rose his hand up and a fireball was blasted at them! It collided with the bullets, incinerating them instantly and injuring Yamaki, Kenta and his Digimon! 

Getting back up and making sure that Kenta and MarineAngemon weren't too badly hurt, Yamaki glanced over his shoulder and saw that Henry was gone. 

"He's lucky I have to reload a clip, or else he'd be exterminated right now!" 

"I think we're lucky you have to reload, 'cause more trouble's heading our way!" Kenta pointed out as a second wave of Digimon came their way!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato couldn't believe that this old building had a basement in it! So far, they'd searched all over the first floor and most of the other floors above them, but there were no Digimon to be found at all. So, per Terriermon's request, the team headed down to the basement to check out anything suspicious. To their surprise, the instant they stepped out of the elevator, Guilmon's eyes dilated immediately. 

"There's a powerful evil here, guys. Be careful." 

"Really? How can you tell?" Guardromon spoke up, getting in front of Kazu and Jeri at that second. 

"Because he's right in front of us." 

Takato groaned, but looked up and saw an old foe...the one who'd caused all of this to occur-Daemon, wrapped up in chains and suspended from the ceiling. 

"How'd this happen?" Jeri asked worriedly, pulling out her sword a moment later. 

Narrowing his eyes, Terriermon jumped off of Takato's shoulder and landed next to Guilmon. "Who cares how he got here? The point is we can defeat him! Send me in, Takatomon!" 

"Huh-? What? Terriermon, what are you talking about?" Takato stammered. 

"Last night while you were asleep, I had Kazu make some modifications to your Digivice-you can make both me and Guilmon Digivolve at the same time, if you need to. But for now, just make me Digivolve." 

Confused, and really angry at Kazu for messing with his stuff, Takato simply glared at his old friend while he grabbed his Digivice and a Modify card, hissing, "You'll pay for this. Digimodify! Digivolution, activate!" 

"Terriermon Digivolve to...GARGOMON!!!" 

"Okay, you wanna-be world dominator: This is for Henry, Susie and for everyone who's died while you came in and started taking over! Gargo Lasers!!" 

"Gargomon, wait!" Takato warned, realizing his mistake at that second, but it was too late. The tiny bullets actually struck the chains holding the Mega Digimon in place, freeing him and waking him up at the same time! 

"Guys...this is something I never would've expected to happen right now."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: It's like I'm paranoid-lookin' over my back! 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head! 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within! 

It's like the face inside me is right beneath my skin!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Yamaki gritted his teeth in silent agony as IceDevimon's main attack froze his left leg to the ground! 

"Hang on-I'll get you out!" Kenta insisted, instantly chipping away at the block with his Digivice. 

"I really don't think that will work. Try something else!" 

"Okay-how 'bout this? Ocean Love!!" 

Grinning to himself, Yamaki made sure he could feel his foot and toes before taking a step forward, pulling out his gun again and firing a clean shot directly in IceDevimon's head, instantly deleting him. 

"That was for holding Matsuki's son prisoner for five years!" 

"You think this is a trap?" Kenta spoke up briefly while making sure Yamaki had feeling in his leg. 

"What makes you so sure about that?" 

"Every time we take out a wave of Digimon, another wave comes at us!" 

"That's true. Once again, what makes you so sure about that?" 

"More Digimon keep coming our way!" 

Sighing deeply, Yamaki emptied his clip before popping in a fresh one. "I never thought I'd be working alongside one of you Digimon before this."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"YOU!" 

Smirking despite the situation they were in, Takato pointed at himself while inching forward. "Who, me?" 

"Yes...you. If you had just given me what I asked for, I wouldn't have spent the last number of years trapped in this basement as mere food for other Digimon to feast on and share my hard-earned data!" 

"Wait a minute-you're the one who turned Henry into an agent of Darkness, and somehow, I'm to blame for this?" Knowing no one-at least, not in this world-could read minds, a part of Takato truly thought he was to blame for this. "I think it's time for you to die." 

"Really? The last time we battled, I defeated you and your friends with just two shots." 

"You were at full power then. You aren't now!" Takato held up his Digivice and it glowed brightly. 

Biomerge Digivolution! 

"Biomerge, activate!!" Takato was transformed into data and instantly merged with Guilmon. "Guilmon Biomerge to...GALLANTMON!!!" 

The building shook as Gallantmon reappeared for the first time in over five years! 

"Guys..." Gallantmon reported with the dual voices of Takato and Guilmon. "Stay back. You wouldn't stand much of a chance against him." 

"And you think you will? Evil Inferno!!" 

Grunting, the Mega Digimon blocked it with his shield, barely holding on until the fireball dissipated in the air. 

"You call that an attack? Lightning Joust!!" 

Takato had a point-even though Daemon was possibly the stronger of the two combatants, he was severely weakened by his fellow Digimon, and the attack injured him even worse than it usually would. 

"I was just warming up. This is an attack. EVIL INFERNO!!" 

Gallantmon screamed as he was thrown back at the elevator in pain before deDigivolving into Takato and Guilmon! Jeri, Kazu, Terriermon-who'd deDigivolved from Gargomon-and Guardromon ran over to them a second after that, helping them to their feet. 

"Now can I go in, Takato?" 

"If he was able to take down me and Guilmon...what makes you think you and I would fare any better?" 

"Humph. Guess you got a point there." 

Hiding his face behind an unreadable mask, Takato plucked out his newest card and hid it behimd his right leg, making sure it wasn't seen. 

"Now the game gets serious."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I know I've got a face in me-points out all my mistakes to me 

You've got a face on the inside too, and your paranoia's probably worse 

I don't know what set me off first, but I do know what I can't stand-everybody acts like the fact of the matter is I can't add up to what you can 

But everybody has a face that they hold inside, a face that awakes when I close my eyes, a face that watches every time I lie, a face that laughs every time they fall (and watches everything!) 

So you know that when it's time to sink or swim that the face inside is watching you too-right inside your skin!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Digimodify!" Takato screamed defiantly. "Sword of Courage, activate!" 

Seconds later, the Sword of Courage appeared in Takato's right hand and his scabbard was in his left. After buckling the scabbard beside the knife his clone, the late Tamer of Darkness, had used to stab Rika with, Takato suddenly felt himself rising above the ground. 

"Whoa! Kazu, what's going on here?" 

After scanning the sword again, Kazu chuckled. "Sorry about that, Chumly-guess I forgot to tell you about that little deal-after you've had the sword for either a few hours, minutes, or seconds, the user of the card can fly, as long as they're holding the sword!" 

"Kazu, you're gonna pay for this!" Takato exclaimed as he flung himself forward, paranoia taking over his brain at that moment. 

Laughing loudly, Daemon extended his hands and held Takato at bay, the Sword still in his grasp. 

"You actually thought you would defeat me with a weapon such as this?" 

"Well, kinda." At that instant, electricity charged up from within the hilt and numerous bolts of energy was fired as a powerful beam of red and blue streaks! It struck Daemon directly in the chest and he wailed in pain before he exploded in a burst of overload. Data floated around as Takato himself floated to the ground, still clutching the sword in his hand as it vanished. Quickly, Guilmon, Terriermon and Guardromon absorbed the flying specks of data. 

"Way to go, Chumly! I knew you could kick that demon's butt!" Kazu cheered. After a moment of hesitation, Takato rose his hand and slapped Kazu a high-five. 

"We did it together. Now let's get out of here!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: It's like I'm paranoid-lookin' over my back! 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head! 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within! 

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin! 

It's like I'm paranoid-lookin' over my back! 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head! 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within! 

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


As Takato and his team exited the Hypnos building, Kazu pulled out his comlink and reported, "Yamaki-we've found Daemon and taken him down with a little bit of teamwork." 

"Excellent. Well done." Yamaki allowed himself a moment of prayer before reopening his eyes. "That means the Digimon who've fed off of him will lose their energy if your partners were able to absorb his data-they did do that, right?" 

"Of course. It's an old habit. We'll be there soon!" The second Takato clicked off Kazu's comlink, Guilmon's eyes dilated once more as the sun seemed to vanish behind the moon. 

"An eclipse? Now?" Jeri asked in amazement. 

"Looks like it." Kazu responded. 

"What is it, boy? Another Digimon attack?" 

Shaking his head, Guilmon smiled in response. "Caught a familiar scent earlier, Takatomon. I wasn't sure what it was then, but I know what it is now." 

"What is it, Guilmon?" Terriermon asked, not wanting to be left out of the conversation. Looking up at his Tamer, the Rookie Digimon replied quietly, "It's Rika."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The sun goes down....I feel the light betray me... 

The sun goes down...I feel the light betray me... 

Chorus: It's like I'm paranoid-lookin' over my back! (The sun...) 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head! 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within! 

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin! (I feel the light betray me...) 

It's like I'm paranoid-lookin' over my back! (The sun...) 

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head! 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within! 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within! (I feel the light betray me...) 

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within! 

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin! (song ends abruptly)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


At that precise second, the two souls within Takato Matsuki compared memories and happier times so quickly it was hard to separate one from the other. Takato's past half knew without a doubt that back in his time, Rika was still alive, probably wondering what had happened to him, worried that he wouldn't survive this latest adventure he'd been tossed in without her but would never admit it to anyone-with the exception of himself and Renamon. Takato's future half faintly remembered those times himself, but had five years of added memories to include, plus the years of his imprisonment. Throughout those hard years, Takato wondered if Rika was still alive and if she was, why she hadn't braved the storm to find him. Together, upon their escape to the Digital World, the two spirits had come to the same conclusion-Rika was dead. What Jeri had told him only clinched the deal. The only thing that would've kept Rika from freeing Takato was death, and that's precisely what had happened-Rika and Renamon had gone to face Henry to free him and Guilmon, battled and had never returned. 

"Takato?" 

Turning slowly toward Jeri's direction, the young teenage girl blushed slightly before offering a warning: 

"If it is Rika, and she's still alive...?" 

Takato waited with patience for Jeri to finish her sentence as Guardromon and Guilmon flew in the direction of Rika's scent. 

"...we should consider the possibility that she sided with Henry." 

"No way she'd even think of siding with the same person who killed her mom and grandma, but I can't argue with that. Don't worry, Jeri-" Takato whipped out the knife and twirled it around once or twice before choosing to pocket it in his back pocket near his Modify cards. "-I used this on Rika once before, even if my clone did possess me at that time; I can use it again if necessary." 

Soon, the Tamers found themselves at a very familiar spot in West Shinjuku-one that Guilmon found very familiar. 

"Takatomon, I'm home!" 

"Yeah, but it's boarded up! 'No trespassing-land mines inside, could collapse.' Always figured Henry had some talent of humor in him." Terriermon replied, a tiny smile on his face. 

"Yeah-whatever. Guys, stand back." Takato warned as Guilmon powered up before firing a blast of fire at the boards. 

"PyroSphere!!" The boards were dust seconds later. Smiling, Takato patted his partner on the head before running in and looking at the far wall. What he saw caused his heart to stop momentarily before starting up again. 

"Oh, my..." Takato couldn't even finish his sentence, because of the state his other half was in. 

Rika Matsuki was suspended in a powerful beam of electric energy, her arms stretched out on either side, her legs dangling underneath her, like she'd been crucified, but wasn't. That wasn't what had shocked Takato, at least not entirely. Rika was basically in the same position she'd been when advising him on how to deal with friends and enemies. There was one major difference, of course. 

A long spear protruded from the young teenager's chest, positioned perfectly to have killed her on impact. 

Yet through some miracle, she lived. 

Whoa! Wonder how Takato's gonna get Rika out of this one, if he can even get her out at all! To see what develops, check back later for another adventure on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	5. Chapter IV: The Fate of Rika Matsuki

Me: Two chapters in one night-though I doubt I'll get to post this one on the same day, however. Oh, well. I don't own Digimon in any form, shape or-ahh! 

Rika: (angrily starts choking me) How dare you have Takato find me in that ridiculous position! You'd better find out someway to get me down from there and real soon! Got it?! 

Me: (struggles to breathe) I would...if this had some romance in it, but the point of the matter is... 

Rika: (tightens grip) If anything happens to me while Takato has to watch...I'd better not finish what I was gonna say here. Too many witnesses lurking about. 

Takato: Too many what lurking where? 

Rika: (grins; releases hold on my neck and hugs Takato) That's my Gogglehead. 

Takato: (sighs in content) 

Me: (coughs) I think I just hacked up my lunch-and that's weird, 'cause I haven't had lunch yet! Oh, well.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter IV-The Fate of Rika Matsuki   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Are you in love with me, loverboy?" -Rika Nonaka 

"It's not everyday you get to meet your dream girl." -Takato Matsuki 

"Mmmm...something smells yummy good!" -Calumon   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


What a battle! While Yamaki and Kenta had to face on hordes of evil Digimon, Takato and crew had to take on Daemon when Gargomon accidentally freed him. Quickly, Takato Biomerged with Guilmon and resurrected Gallantmon once again, but not even he was strong enough to take out the evil Mega! Takato decided he'd had enough of this guy and used the new Hybrid level Sword of Courage against him, which deleted him and divided the data between Guilmon, Terriermon and Guardromon. However, once they'd gotten outside the Hypnos building, Guilmon caught wind of a familiar scent-it turned out to be Rika! After heading over to Guilmon's old home in the park, Takato caught a first look at his name-only wife. What's happened to her all these years? We'll find out together!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"R-Rika?" 

Guilmon appeared by Takato's side, a solemn look on the Rookie Digimon's face for once. Terriermon patted Takato on the back of his head as he climbed up onto his shoulder with ease. 

"Is it really her, Guilmon?" Takato whispered, his voice coming out hoarse, daring to believe it was truly her, afraid that she would vanish at that instant. 

"Her scent? No doubt." The Virus-type eyed his Tamer with a look of confusion. "Really her? Couldn't say." 

The young girl's eyes were closed and she seemed to be asleep, her chest rising evenly up and down behind that electrical charge of energy. For the first time ever, Takato took notice of Rika's developing breasts, since back home...he wouldn't allow himself the luxury of finishing that thought, since if he did, Rika would probably beat him to death, boyfriend or not. 

"Jeri...?" Takato croaked out, clearing his throat and facing the suddenly apprehensive girl with a calculated look. "Is there anyway to get her free?" 

"I-I think so, Takato, but..." Jeri sniffled a moment afterward, trying to keep her tears from falling down her cheeks. Takato suddenly realized that the others were looking at him! 

"What?!" Takato griped impatiently. 

"Not to be blunt about it, Takato, but...you did notice the staff?" Terriermon asked, all traces of humor gone from his face. 

"It missed." Takato insisted, not even allowing himself the chance to think he could lose her again. "It have to have missed! She's still here." 

"There's some positive logic." Jeri agreed, smiling as if the tears hadn't been there at all. 

"And blood." Guilmon added calmly. "There's some blood here too, Takato." 

Choking back his own cry of despair, Takato turned away from his wife and found himself looking at Kazu. 

"She's been gone five years...if she's really been here all that time...we just want you to be careful." Kazu cautioned. This was the hardened soldier in Kazu talking, Takato could sense it. 

"Careful as humanly possible." Takato declared while whipping out a Modify card. Just as he was prepared to swipe it, a tiny voice seemed to say his name. Confused, Takato, the Digimon and the other Tamers looked up to see Rika Matsuki, her violet eyes opened wide and a tiny smile on her face. 

"Found you at last, Gogglehead." Rika rasped, her voice coming out exactly the same as it had in Takato's dream-like it was sounding from a radio. 

"Actually, we found you." Kazu corrected. 

"Semantics." Terriermon added, the grin back on his face. 

Ignoring the rest of them, even the warning from Jeri that he should stay back, Takato was captivated within Rika's eyes just as she found herself lost inside his own chocolate brown eyes. 

"I dreamed I heard you talking. Guess my dream came true, and it looks like your not the only one who dreams about their soulmate." Rika replied, blushing even from behind the barrier that separated her from him. 

"Hold on, Rika. I'm getting you out!" Takato pulled out his Digivice and prepared to swipe the card through. Hanging in perfect agony and pain, Rika giggled quietly. 

"I wish you could, but the truth is, Takato...you can't." 

Struggling to keep his tears at bay once again, Takato wanted to argue with her, that they could free her from this prison with just one swipe of his newest Modify card, but deep inside his soul-both of them-he knew that wasn't what Rika meant. 

"The staff?" Takato squeaked sadly, forcing himself to keep his eyes locked onto Rika's. 

Nodding, the smile seemed to fade from Rika's face a second later. "Renamon and I came to find you. I can't remember how long ago it was; time seems to do weird stuff when you're trapped behind a few bars of electric energy. I confronted him...Henry, I mean. We fought, Tamer against Tamer. That's why your home's messed up, Guilmon. Sorry I couldn't clean up." 

Smirking despite the grim situation she was in, Rika forced herself to remember what had happened so long ago...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Flashback: Five years ago 

Narrowing her eyes until they were slits, Rika Matsuki whipped out her shades and placed them onto her face, obscuring her vision of the sun slightly. She and Renamon had returned back to the Real World only a day or so ago, and already she regretted being a part of this devastating war. Their numbers had depleted within a matter of months, if not years! Ryo and Leomon, Jeri's Digimon partner, had been executed by Henry himself to show the other Tamers what would happen if they tried to challenge him. He'd even crossed the line and killed his own family, including Susie and her own partner Lopmon. As her own mother and grandmother had been brutally tortured before death, Rika remembered what her mother had said to her before death had claimed another innocent victim: 

"No matter what name you choose for yourself-Nonaka or Matsuki-you'll always be my daughter, now and forever." 

The last thing she'd seen before being rescued by Kazu of all people was the sight of Takato's parents being decapitated right there in front of their own bakery by Phantomon's Shadow Scythe attack! 

"Rika? We've got to keep moving." Renamon's usually calm voice had a hint of tension in it, and that meant that someone was heading their way. Placing the memories of before back in her mind, Rika nodded once to show that she'd heard her and they kept going forward. 

"Where are we looking first?" Rika asked quietly. 

Grinning slightly, although no one else but Rika would have figured that out, Renamon replied, "You are his soulmate, correct? Technically, you should know precisely where we should go to search for him." 

Blushing faintly, Rika nodded once again, then looked up, facing toward the north. 

"Checking his school wouldn't help us find him-it's been blown to pieces! Maybe we should go by his parents' bakery. We'll be sure to find him there." 

"Be careful, Rika-I'm sure by now its been boarded up tightly." Renamon advised. 

"I wouldn't expect anything less from an old friend." came the calculated response.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


After carefully inspecting the entire bakery, Renamon's suspicions had been confirmed-the place was boarded up tighter than an old bass drum. 

"We're running out of options on where to look, Renamon! I would've felt it if he'd died three months ago-I'm positive of it. There's got to be something we're missing, something we're lacking..." Rika impatiently paced in front of the store before it came to her. 

"That's it! Where's the one place Takato feels more at home at than at his own home?" 

With a second tiny grin, Renamon replied, "You mean your house?" 

"Very funny. I mean the park. He's hung out there more times than I can count. That's got to be the place!" 

"Hiya, Rika! You got any food with you?" 

"Huh-?" Shocked and amazed, Rika quickly turned around to see Calumon! The tiny In-Training Digimon had snuck away in her backpack, munching on some snacks she'd left in there for herself and Renamon. 

"Hey-those are supposed to be for me and Renamon!" 

"But I was hungry. And cream puffs are my favorite!" Calumon giggled excitedly while hopping joyously into Rika's arms. 

"We should give him the benefit of the doubt this time, Rika." 

"We've given him 'the benefit of the doubt' for how long now?" Rika hissed, knowing that, like it or not, she had gotten used to the little furball's crazy antics just as she'd gotten used to Takato's dense nature and philosophy of life in general. 

"Fine. Next time, Renamon, pack nothing but health food in here." 

"And where in the Digital World are we supposed to find 'health food' at?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Having to dodge countless Digimon air raids from flying Digimon, Rika, Renamon and Calumon finally reached Guilmon's old home. It still looked more or less the same from the last time he'd been here. 

"Rika, I don't think either Guilmon or Takato have been here for a long while." 

Refusing to accept defeat, Rika turned to glare at her partner with a look of defiance. "And what is that supposed to mean?" 

"You can tell because Guilmon would never leave bread unattended for this long." Looking down at the ground, Rika and Calumon both had to hold in their lunch at the sight of the bread. It had gotten extremely moldy on the outside and on the inside, tiny bugs that not even an In-Training Digimon could see without a pair of eyeglasses were munching contentedly away at the bread like Calumon had been happily eating away at Rika and Renamon's cream puffs earlier. 

"It can't be..." Saddened, and feeling a heavy weight of coldness clench at her heart, Rika dropped to her knees in defeat, staring down at the completed heart symbol on her shirt. "Nothing could keep him away from me...not even death." 

"'Parting is such sweet sorrow...that I shall say good night, 'till it be morrow.'" 

Yanking off her shades and narrowing her eyes once again, Rika, Renamon and Calumon all turned to eye Henry Wong wearing the same attire he'd worn in life so long ago. 

"What are you doing here?" Rika hissed angrily, knowing full well that the person standing before her wasn't Henry, but an evil demon in his place. 

"Just wanted to see what the Digimon Queen was up to these days. I've missed seeing you, and Jeri, even Kazu and Kenta ever since you guys disappeared on me long ago." 

"Save the sweet talk! I wouldn't even take that crap from Takato-at least not until after we got together, and even then it was limited-so what makes you think I'd buy it from you?" 

"Had to give it a chance. And, I wanted you to meet my new partner-partners, actually, but I'll save the best for last." Snapping his fingers, Henry moved out of the way so Rika and the others could get a clear view of the evil Digimon who flew above the open doorway...IceDevimon. 

"You again? I thought that-" 

"Your soulmate bested me in battle? As I reminded him before I blasted him, parts of data were floating around, and a case of blind luck restored me to normal. A pity things didn't work out between us, Rika. You and I...we would've made an awesome team. Alas, to my surprise, Mr. Wong took me up on my offer, and you should've seen how he and I conquered the Digital World together, side by side, like you and I should have been." 

"The only side I want you on is the side who's butt I've kicked! This is for Takato and for all other people and Digimon who you've corrupted and destroyed!" Rika quickly pulled out a Modify card and swiped it through her Digivice. 

"Digimodify! Digivolution, activate!" 

Digivolution! 

"Renamon Digivolve to...KYUBIMON!!!" 

The Champion Digimon faced down an old foe as she exited Guilmon's old hideaway with Rika and Calumon behind her. "You and I have an old score to settle." 

"We do, but this will only end in victory for myself and my Tamer! Frozen Claw!!" 

"Kyubimon, look out!" Rika yelled as the Data-type was hit hard by the attack and sent down to the ground. 

"It'll take more than some frozen icicles to stop me! Foxtail Inferno!!" 

Chuckling, IceDevimon batted the attack away with one gesture from his hand. 

"Digimodify! Black WarGreymon's shield, activate!" 

In utter disbelief, Rika and Calumon facefaulted. Henry had swiped that card! Laughing, IceDevimon grabbed the shield meant to protect another Virus-type Digimon in his hands, then flung it like a boomerang, making sure it struck Kyubimon before it returned to him. 

"He's smiling." Calumon admitted worriedly while looking up at a jubilant IceDevimon. "I have a very bad feeling about this." 

Feeling worried herself, Rika returned back inside Guilmon's home, wondering how she would get herself out of this predicament. 

"Think, Matsuki, think! You've got courage, heart and power on your side, and what does he have? Darkness, hatred and even more power-huh?" Rika's thoughts were interrupted as she looked down and saw something by the bread she hadn't noticed before-a Modify card. Confused, she picked it up and grinned. Rika recalled what Takato had said the day they'd attacked Santiramon and he'd shown up late, but had a new Modify card to make up for it: 

"Well, for once, Kazu didn't give me a useless card!" 

Heading out back to the battlefield, Rika allowed some tears to trickle down her cheeks while swiping the card. "Thanks, Gogglehead." 

"Digimodify! Power, activate!" 

Feeling a surge of power escalate within her, Kyubimon leaped up into the air and prepared to use what she considered her most powerful attack. "Dragon Wheel!!" 

IceDevimon screamed in agony as he was hit by the intensity of the attack and was deleted within moments. "This can't be! I was supposed to be all powerful! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" 

"Yay! Way to go, Rika!" Calumon cheered as Kyubimon absorbed IceDevimon's data. 

"That was for you, Takato..." 

"Digimodify! Avenging Knight, activate!!" 

"Huh?!" Rika, Kyubimon and Calumon all looked up and saw Cyberdramon holding a pair of spears in his hands! 

"From the frying pan into the fire, huh ,Rika?" Calumon piped up quizzically. 

"I thought Terriermon was supposed to be the wisecracking joker in our group." 

"He is, but he's not here right now, so I thought I'd fill in." 

"NOW!" Henry demanded, pointing a finger directly in Rika's direction. Growling loudly, Cyberdramon reared his arms back before throwing the spears so quickly, neither Kyubimon nor Rika would've been able to avoid them! Almost instantly, Kyubimon was deleted and her data absorbed by Cyberdramon; Rika, on the other hand, cried out as she was struck hard in the chest and flung backward, painfully hitting the wall in Guilmon's home, an electrical charge of energy flowing in front of her almost instantaneously! 

"Oh, no!" Calumon wailed silently as he raced in and saw Rika's form displayed for all to see. 

"Get out of here, Calumon..." Rika gasped, amazed that his voice came out all staticky and figured her own voice came out in that same manner. 

"Where would I go?" 

"The Digital World. There's a portal...right underneath the bread. Dig under it, and you'll see it. Trust me-would I ever let you down?" 

Rika offered Calumon a pained smile to which Calumon responded in kind. Minutes later, Calumon was gone, possibly heading back to the Digital World. 

"So long, Calumon...Takato." Rika whispered as she waited for the cool embracing hand of death to claim her. To her surprise, she didn't die... 

End flashback   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"You mean to tell us he beat you? The Digimon Queen was beaten in battle?" 

Glaring heatedly at Kazu, Rika frowned in response. "Apparently, you didn't hear the ending to my story-Kyubimon and I won, fair and square!" 

"Not if you used a Modify card that your boyfriend/husband accidentally left behind." Terriermon retorted, chuckling as Takato blushed at that comment. 

"Whatever. Anyway, like I was saying, if Cyberdramon hadn't teamed up with Henry, we would've been out of there! He caught us both off guard in the end, though." 

With a tilt of her head, Rika motioned toward the staff and looked pointedly at Takato. 

"Even though it's not really Henry, he knows all of his memories, his personality, his grudges. He remembered when I wasn't that nice to you guys when we first met and wanted to return the favor in two ways-deleting Kyubimon was one of them. Thanks to this stupid electric charger, time is frozen around me. If you tried to free me, I'd be dead within seconds, minutes, hours...if I was really lucky, I wouldn't die for at least 2-3 days, at least; even that's a maybe." 

"There's gotta be a way." Takato insisted, his voice growing more tighter with every word spoken. "Maybe we can pull that staff out before breaking that charger." 

"Takato...look at me." A moment passed. Then another. "Look at me!" 

Forcing himself to look up, Takato stared deep into Rika's eyes. What he saw made him want to turn away, but he wouldn't. Never from her. 

"The damage is done." Rika declared, allowing her tears to fall. Screaming loudly, Takato turned away from his soon-to-be-dead wife and hugged Jeri, his own tears streaming down his face. 

"There's gotta be something we can do! When is it gonna end, Jeri? Henry, Leomon, Ryo, Susie, our parents, Renamon, Beelzemon, Calumon, Cyberdramon, Rika...When are we gonna reach the point where we've lost enough?!" Takato wailed sadly while pulling away from her and dropping to his knees in silent pain. Terriermon and Kazu's humorous looks had faded away, and Rika knew that they shared Takato's pain. It had been obvious that Jeri felt that same way a few moments ago. Guilmon was truly saddened by this turn of events, but his eyes dilated as he allowed one tear to fall. 

"Takatomon?" 

The Tamers all gazed upward to see Henry, minus the orange vest, but still wearing the shades on his face and all black from the shirt to his shoes even. Takato almost expected to see him looking up at the sky or sifting through cards. Henry seemed startled by the attention focused on him. 

"Huh? Oh, sorry, guys. Just lost in the memory. As for the point where you've lost enough? I don't think any one of you guys have reached it yet-since all of you are still alive. I'll give you this to chew on: I'm working to remedy that even as we speak." 

Uh-oh! Trapped inside Guilmon's old home, blocked by an old friend who could now be considered his greatest foe-can Takato pull through for the team and kill his former best friend? "The Lost Tamer" continues next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	6. Chapter V: Takato's Loss

Me: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own Creed's song "Weathered!" Finally, I get the chance to listen to it, and it sounds great! 

Takato: Yeah, right. What the heck did you do to Rika?! 

Me: Calm down. 

Takato: How can I calm down? If I try to free her, she'll die! 

Me: True, but look at the bright side...(thinks for a few moments) Okay, there is no bright side to this, but I wanted you to get your mind off of what could happen. 

Takato: (groans) Why me? 

Me: Honestly-I don't know. By the way, this chapter-and this chapter alone!-will have some sexual contact between two people-take a stab in the dark at who it'll be. (grins evilly) 

Takato: (blushes heavily) 

Me: Come on-where's that fire I just saw a few minutes ago? Oh-I see. Now that we're talking about physical contact between thou and Rika, look who's gotten all twitterpated on me. Onward, team!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter V-Takato's Loss   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"We can choose our own destiny, right? Then I choose...to stay and fight with you!" -Rika Nonaka 

"Not until you see that humans and Digimon are more powerful when they work together!" -Takato Matsuki   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


And we'd all hoped that Rika would be alive and in one piece when Takato finally found her! At least she's alive, right? She spent the better half of an hour relating her tale of how she ended up there trapped in Guilmon's home without her partner, who'd been deleted in the heat of battle against Cyberdramon. But when Takato insisted that they try to free her, Rika told him that there was nothing any of them-not even him-could do to make things right. To make things even worse than they were, Henry chose that time to block the Tamer team inside, standing in front of the entrance! Looks like we'll get to see Takato and Henry go at it sooner than expected!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


As Takato heard Henry's mocking tone, the illusion of friendship was shattered, along with his heart. This was the second time he'd faced him and knew the evil the Tamers had worked so hard against, fought against and shed blood to save another had reached out and claimed one of their own, tainted him beyond any hope of return...and just as it had done an evening or so ago, it not only crushed Takato, but hardened him at the same time. 

"It's over!" Takato growled, pulling out his Modify card with one swift move and holding it in the air. "Your Digital kingdom is finished today!" 

"Tch. No, 'Hey, Henry! Rise and Shine, pal?' Nothing?" 

"You're not Henry." Terriermon retorted impatiently. 

"But I am, Terriermon." the demon replied, making the words seem enjoyable with every correctly pronounced saying he spoke. "I always never understood what Takato's clone saw in possessing him before. My soul is gone, without a doubt. Whether any of you like it or not, I am Henry. If I weren't, if I still didn't love Jeri with all of my being, if I still didn't see Terriermon as my rightful partner, if I still didn't love Takato as a brother, would any of you be alive right now? Would you guys have defeated Daemon? I let you escape into the Digital World, Takato, only because I knew you would come back. They called Ryo 'the Prodigal Tamer,' you know, Rika. The other Digimon in the Digital World did. But your sweetheart, your husband is the real Prodigal Tamer, right, Takato? You've come back home." 

Narrowing his eyes, Takato refused to be swayed. He stood there, in front of Rika and beside the others, and just waited. The demon's eyes locked on the knife in Takato's back pocket. 

"You understand me, don't you? If you didn't, then why did you accept my belated present? Did Rika recognize it? The very knife with which she stabbed you through the chest while you were possessed by your clone on the day we returned home from the Digital World. The same weapon which one of us, my close friend, my powerful brother, might kill the other." 

Pulling out the knife with one thrust, Takato snarled, "I'm only gonna tell you this once-I'm not your brother! I just brought this with me to give it back to you. Blade first-no pun intended." 

"As you did with that same knife your clone used to kill you with." 

Takato hesitated, shuddering as he remembered that moment. 

"Surprised, are we? Deny all you want, guys, but I am Henry Wong. I helped Rika shape you into the powerful Tamer you are today. You weren't able to kill your clone when you had the chance-not even when he was brutally beating up Rika-and you won't be able to kill me when the time comes. I want you and Terriermon to join me, Takato. Be the partners you were meant to be. Together, the four of us will be an unbeatable team." 

"See? That proves it right there." Terriermon noted angrily while leaping off of Takato's shoulder. "Henry was never that stupid, that arrogant, or that foolish!" 

"Actually, I always thought our brainiac friend thought too much of himself." Kazu piped up. 

Narrowing his eyes, Henry glared at Kazu with a stare that screamed death. "I'm amazed your still alive, Kazu!" 

In response, Guardromon fired a quick attack, one that Henry simply dodged by bending his head back far enough so that it wouldn't touch him. Guilmon growled as he stepped forward, eager to do battle with one who used to be his friend. 

"Be careful." Rika's voice advised weakly from behind Takato and the others. "Remember what he's accomplished. Don't underestimate him." 

"We never have." Jeri whispered, her voice taut with emotion. She pulled out her sword and it seemed to sing as it was thrusted forward. 

"Nor have I underestimated you, my future bride. But I know Takato like I know the back of my hand. This is too personal for him-I'd wager 10-1 odds he's already gunning for my head." 

Growling deep within his throat, Takato knew Henry had hit the nail on his coffin, but he didn't have to let him know that. 

"You know what, guys? No one likes a know-it-all! Whoever kills him gets pizza later." 

For the first time since facing him, Takato noticed that Henry seemed off-balance. That was a good thing. 

"What? Aw, no!" Kazu griped then swore under his breath. 

"What is it?" Jeri asked worriedly. 

"Kenta. He and Yamaki need backup or they're dead." 

Takato focused his glare back at Henry, who had a gigantic Cheshire-cat grin on his face, and he knew this was what Henry had orchestrated all along. 

"They're a few meters away from us, but they're starting to get seriously outnumbered." Kazu reported. 

Takato's gaze remained fixated on Henry. "Go." 

"Takato, no!" Jeri cried. 

"Don't take him on alone." Rika warned, her eyes betraying her by revealing her worry and concern for her husband's life. 

"Go!" Takato demanded impatiently, then reassured his friends in a calmer tone. "Daemon's gone. Most of his Digimon are back in the Dark Ocean by now, so they won't pose a threat anymore. Help Yamaki finish off this last batch of Digimon. I'll be all right-I've got Guilmon and Terriermon to back me up." 

"Get out of the way." Terriermon hissed at his former Tamer, who smiled with ease. 

"Of course, partner. Momentie." Without argument, the demon stepped aside to allow the others to freely pass. 

Kazu and Guardromon immediately headed out the doorway, but Jeri hesitated, looking at Henry, then at Takato with a worried look on her face. 

Keeping his face a mask, Takato nodded once, his eyes telling her he'd be okay. Allowing some tears to fall, Jeri turned and ran off, catching up with Kazu and his partner. This left Takato, Guilmon and Terriermon alone to face Henry, save for Rika, who could only look on, crucified, captured and eternally a heartbeat or so away from death.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I lie awake on a long, dark night-I can't seem to tame my mind! 

Slings and arrows are killing me inside 

Maybe I can't accept the life that's mine 

No! 

Maybe I can't accept the life that's mine 

Simple living is my desperate cry; been trading love with indifference, yeah, it suits me just fine 

I try to hold on, but I'm calloused to the bone 

Maybe that's why I feel alone-yeah, maybe that's why I feel so alone...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


After watching the other Tamers leave, Rika Matsuki writhed in torment as hellish as any she'd ever known. Trapped within the barrier of electricity that preserved her life, she struggled for the first time in a long time. She'd spent years in that personal prison, yet she and Renamon had survived far worse than this. What made this even more horrifying for her was that this was the end for the Digimon Queen, the knowledge that there was a spear in her chest and if she was freed from this prison, she would die in either seconds, minutes, hours or if she was lucky, days. More than once, within that five-year span, she'd wished for death's kiss to come and envelop her. It was inevitable. But Rika had never wished for death as much as she wished for it at that moment in time. 

In the cave that had once been Guilmon's home and now her prison, Takato held up the knife in his left hand, a brand-new Modify card in his right. Rika knew that knife quite well, for once upon a time, she'd been forced to stab him with it, freeing him from control by his clone, but seriously injuring him at the same time. Now Rika only wished Takato would stab her with it. 

Throughout those five years, Rika had never fully expected to see Takato again. Now she gazed at him, astounded by the young man he had become, and frightened as well. This was a true Tamer-his hair was still the same brownish color it had always been, but it was a little more wilder than it had been before. His eyes sparkled with a fire that only appeared during a deadly situation such as the one he was in at the present time. He still wore the same blue hooded shirt and the goggles, but the yellow color had faded slightly around the edges. He still had on the same shorts and wristbands, but after being outside in the sunlight for a while-at least until the eclipse, which was still going on-the shorts had seemed to stick to Takato's legs like a shirt would after a person was sweating during a hard day's work. Yet, inside that hardened Tamer, Rika still saw the young boy she'd fallen in love with all those years ago, that boyish grin still plastered on his face as it was long ago. Being a Tamer and a boyfriend wasn't all that had attracted Rika to Takato-his abilities to draw had also intrigued her, even if she'd never admitted it at the time. This combination of a Tamer and her husband still caused Rika's heart to skip a beat. 

And now, Rika wished she could crush that spark within Takato's eyes. For at this moment in time, she was actually afraid. Afraid because it would either come down to the two of them, or Takato would die. All because he still loved and cared deeply for her. 

"Gogglehead, whatever he says to you, don't you dare listen!" Rika demanded, though she knew her voice would come out like a staticky buzz on the other side, like the four voices did when they were speaking to her. The four voices-Takato, Guilmon, Terriermon and the demon who'd used to be Henry. Even then, Henry eyed Rika with a seductive look, a look that mocked everything Henry had been in life, even as the demon dressed in the same manner as Henry had. Rika had figured out the technique long ago, seeing that if Henry appeared peaceful in death as he'd been in life, his enemies-who used to be his friends-would be thrown off balance. 

"By all means, Takato." Henry whispered, his eyes focused entirely on Rika, his back to the young Tamer and his two Digimon partners. "Do as your wife tells you to: Don't listen to me." 

The demon, so smug looking, so emotionless, so predictable, so Henry, looked so comfortable in his black attire and his shades that Rika found herself staring at him for a time. Takato could have swiped that new card at that moment, could have rushed Henry even before he could've turned around and could've killed him. But he didn't. 

"Kill him!" Rika yelled heatedly. 

"You could." Henry replied patiently, not even bothering to look away from Rika. "Or you and Terriermon could join me, as I've suggested. You can feel how right this is, Takato. I know you can." 

Terriermon bravely puffed up his cheeks before stepping forward. "You're pretty cocky for a guy who's about to become compost!" 

Henry chuckled quietly to himself. "You haven't changed a bit, Terriermon. That's what I loved about you, my friend-your superior wit." 

It was too familiar, and Rika could see it working on Takato even as warning bells continuously went off in her head. Takato just had to see how Henry was playing him like a fiddle, but he didn't. 

"Takato!" Rika screamed impatiently. 

Finally, Henry turned toward Takato and the Digimon, his back to Rika, who was forced to be an innocent bystander and watch the events unfold. 

"Give yourself to me, Takato." Henry advised smoothly, intimately, to his old friend. "It's the only way to go. Be the brother we both always wanted you to be, and I promise that afterward, I'll let Rika go." 

The knife wavered in his hand as Takato sheathed it and slowly went for his Digivice. "You'll just let her go?! What about the staff, you jerk?" 

"I did this to her. Well, it was Cyberdramon who tossed the staffs, but anyway. Do you really think I couldn't undo my own piece of work? You know me better than that, Takato. Of course, after we're partners, you might change your mind about letting Rika go, but a promise is a promise. I'll let her go even if you don't want me to anymore." 

As Rika watched in disbelief, her hair strewn over her shoulders and not in its usual position on top of her head, Takato chewed his bottom lip, considering the offer. 

"NO!" Rika cried out, her heart aching for the touch of death. "Takato, don't! He can't save me now! He's lying. The second I'm free, I'm dead. The only thing you can do for me now is to kill him!" 

Henry turned to glare at her, enraged, his eyes changing color as he fought to keep the demon, the true countenance of evil, from showing. That would destroy the illusion. 

"SHUT UP, ALREADY!" Henry snarled angrily. 

Rika's heart sang as Takato rose his Digivice to the sky and swiped the card through with ease. 

"Digimodify! Sword of Courage, activate!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: 'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together 

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal! 

I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together 

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal... 

No! It just won't heal, no, no...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Kazu, Guardromon and Jeri raced onto the battlefield, expecting to see the dead bodies of their friends, but to their surprise, they were still alive. Kenta, MarineAngemon and Yamaki were holding their own, with the exception of some dangerous Digimon still lurking about. 

We've still got some Champions around, and one dangerous Ultimate!" Yamaki's voice boomed out. Nodding, Kazu quickly swiped a card through, and Guardromon instantly Digivolved into Andromon. If his partner was to be deleted in battle, it was gonna be at the Ultimate level! 

"You ready, pal?" 

"Always. Lightning Blade!!" 

Smirking, Kazu and Andromon raced into the battlefield, searching for the Ultimate Digimon. Jeri held her sword up confidently, swiftly flying in and chopping off the heads of any Champion that dared to come her way. 

"Glad you could join us." Kenta mumbled minutes after the Champions had been defeated, but she heard the relief in his voice. 

"We had some time to spare." 

At that instant, the two friends and the Mega Digimon heard a scream of silent pain. They turned to see Yamaki lying on the ground, blood spurting freely from a deep wound in his back. Looking up, they found themselves glaring at Phantomon. 

"He was standing in my way." 

Kenta growled with anger in his heart as he prepared to order MarineAngemon to attack, but Kazu and Andromon entered back in and struck the Ultimate Digimon down. 

"This is the last one! Get goin' you two. Chumly may need you!" 

"You'll need us!" Kenta retorted irritably. "Takato can take care of himself." 

A second later, Andromon was thrown to the ground in front of Kazu by his adversary. 

"NO!" Kazu screamed as he selflessly threw himself in front of his partner, taking the Shadow Scythe attack fully in the chest! Jeri and Kenta watched in shock and sadness as their closest friend dropped to his knees before falling onto his back. At that instant, Andromon managed to strike Phantomon in the head with his Lightning Blade attack, the two Digimon dispersing into data, to be absorbed by MarineAngemon. 

Saddened, Jeri sank to her knees in shock and torment. Another friend had been taken from her, one who'd been there to comfort her whenever Takato and Henry couldn't be, the one who'd made her laugh occasionally, and now he was gone. 

"Kazu was right about one thing..." Jeri whispered sadly. "The earth never swallows you up when you want it to." Nodding in silent agreement, Kenta looked up to see the eclipse had ended, the sun shining brightly in his eyes. 

"Come on-Takato needs us."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The sun shines and I can't avoid the light-I think I'm holding on to life too tight 

Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust 

Sometimes I feel like giving up, yeah! 

I said, sometimes I feel like giving up!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The Sword of Courage appeared in Takato's right hand, his scabbard in his left. Takato had actually considered joining with Henry moments ago, during his moments of self-doubt. The two souls within him knew for a fact that there was nothing they could do to save Rika, or Henry, their parents, or anyone from before...in this time period. The only hope they had of saving the future was if Takato's past half was separated from the future half and sent back far enough to prevent this futuristic disaster from ever happening. The second Rika had pleaded with him, and Henry had glared at her, Takato knew the illusion was shattered. He'd swiped his card within seconds and the sword sang as it flew toward Henry's back. 

Henry moved so quickly, he couldn't counter! Not even turning around entirely, the demon punched Takato with a left hook, sending him flying backward and into a jutting rock! Guilmon and Terriermon gaped in surprise. Rika's heart ached with pain and agony at watching her husband be injured so badly. 

"Takato, no!" 

Turning fully, Henry flung the shades to the ground, his eyes flashing a deadly color of red. This was the true demon inside, the mask disappeared, all pretense gone. 

"And I had such high hopes for you and I." the demon hissed sadly. 

"Happy to disappoint." Takato retorted angrily, touching his gaping wound at his ribcage and feeling the blood flowing down his stomach. The Tamer lunged forward and before Henry could counteract it, he slashed the blade down and severed his left hand from the rest of his body in one, clean swipe! 

The demon screamed with rage and anguish in his voice. 

"That was for Rika and Renamon, you cold-hearted traitor!" Takato growled defiantly as Terriermon launched an attack from behind. 

"Bunny Blast!!" 

Henry grunted as he was pushed forward, but he used his good hand and grabbed the sword from Takato's hand!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: 'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together 

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal! 

I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together 

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal...it just won't heal, no...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato gritted his teeth as Henry raised the sword with his good hand, using the expert skills he'd rarely used in life, then swiped it down toward his head! 

"Takato, look out!" Rika yelled, her voice sounding so far away. 

"PyroSphere!!" As Guilmon fired his main attack, Takato whipped out the knife and barely countered his own sword with it. 

"Fine, then." Henry snarled. "If you're going to die alongside your 'wife,' then be quick about it! I've had more than enough of your interactions." 

Takato grinned with a devilish smile. "It really burns you up, doesn't it? You really thought that Terriermon, Guilmon and I would just give up, and go over to your side? That just proves there's no Henry left in you at all." 

"That's evil thinking, demon thinking." Terriermon added. "You may have his cunning, but you don't have his brains." 

Taking Henry's hesitation into account, Takato knew what he had to do. Having the knife protected him for a time, but eventually, it would be batted away. The only other choice of weapon he had was the spear embedded in Rika's chest. Eyeing her from where he was at, she nodded, mouthing back to him, "I've always loved you, and I'll always be with you...body, mind and spirit." Growling with a voice of determination, Takato rammed his head into Henry's gut, sending the two of them flying backward into the electrical barrier prolonging Rika's life! 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" The three Tamers wailed in agony and pain as the numerous bolts of energy snaked out and enveloped them as one, coursing through their bodies and forcing Takato and Henry to drop their weapons! Having some residual strength left, Rika managed to land a punch in, sending Henry dropping to the ground. Takato and Rika collapsed to their knees in torment, Rika being free for the first time in five years! Grunting, Takato yanked the spear out of Rika's chest, noticing the blood flowing instantly down her shirt and tossed it near Henry's unmoving form.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The day reminds me of you, the night hides your truth 

The earth is a voice speaking to you 

Take all this pride and leave it behind,'cause one day it ends 

One day we die-believe what you will, that is your right, but I choose to win 

I choose to fight, to fight!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Ignoring the many jolts of pain radiating through his body, Takato flung himself at Rika, needing to feel her at least once, before one or the other died at that instant. The two of them ended up locked in a kiss of pure passion, not having been near each other for the better part of five years! Whereas Takato's right hand worked his way downward, his left hand managed to get past the shirt and the blood and cautiously caress one of Rika's breasts. Moaning quietly, Rika responded with raking her hands through Takato's hair. As for Terriermon and Guilmon, they both had looks of absolute disgust on their faces. 

"Get a room, you two!" Terriermon exclaimed, feeling the need to throw up. 

Getting up from his position, the demon eyed the two lovers, then the staff on the ground. With an evil smile, Henry picked it up and prepared to throw it. 

A second later, Takato rose the Sword of Courage defiantly to the sky, the two streams of red and blue energy snaking out from the hilt and striking Henry precisely in the chest, injuring him to near death and forcing him back to his knees. Reluctantly breaking the kiss, Takato smirked mischieviously at Rika as he sheathed the Sword and picked up the knife in his left hand. 

"Terrier Tornado!!" 

Not even noticing the Rookie Digimon behind him, Henry managed to get back up, only to be flung forward and having his body impaled on the knife Takato himself had used on his clone so long ago! His eyes changing, Takato soon found himself staring into the eyes of his former best friend. 

"Takato...please-" 

"This is my mess." Takato declared quietly. "Time for this Gogglehead to clean it up." 

Takato yanked the knife out of Henry's chest as the demon dissolved into dust, the uses for the body gone since the soul had vanished years before. Smiling in victory, Takato turned back toward Rika, only to see his wife on her knees, a hand reached out toward him.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: 'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together 

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal! 

I'm rusted and weathered, barely holding together 

I'm covered with skin that peels, and it just won't... 

Covered with skin that peels, and it just won't... 

Covered with skin that peels, and it just won't heal...! (song fades out, ends on a chord)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Rika!" Worry escalating the victory won at that moment, Takato cradled Rika's head in his arms. He knew she hated to be babied like this, but she didn't have much of a say at this point. 

"It's all right...at least we fought on the same side, right?" Rika coughed quietly, even if she did cough up some blood. Feeling tears cloud his eyes, Takato suddenly found himself locked in a final kiss by Rika. Not even giving him a choice in the matter, Rika forced her tongue into Takato's mouth, feeling his own tongue and wrapping hers around his. Seconds later, Takato heard a sigh of contentment and broke the kiss. Looking down, Takato suddenly realized that his wife, Rika Matsuki, had died in his arms, her blood leaking on his shirt and a look of peace on her face. 

"Rika...no. Come back, please...come back!" 

"T-Takato?" 

Turning around, Takato heard Jeri's voice and hoped beyong all hope that at least she was alive. She was, but only Kenta and MarineAngemon were with her. With the tears rolling down her cheeks, Takato understood why the two of them were only with her. 

Finally allowing himself to cry, Takato sobbed onto Rika's bloodstained shirt, feeling the eyes of Jeri, Kenta, Guilmon, Terriermon and MarineAngemon all focused on him. Saddened by the events of the day, Terriermon, Guilmon, MarineAngemon and Kenta left the place Takato's partner once called home. Jeri was about to leave, but Takato's voice whispered to her, "Wait." 

Stroking Rika's lovely red hair with his bloodstained hand, Takato admitted sadly to Jeri, "I've got to fix this. I've got to make this go away, and I need your help to do it. I don't know what it would mean for you, Jeri, but-" 

Shushing him, Jeri offered Takato a kind smile and promised that she would help. 

Kissing Rika's lifeless body tenderly on the forehead, Takato declared quietly, "I have to make it right..." 

After everything he's seen here, can Takato truly go back to the past and fix things? Let's hope so! Another adventure of Digimon: Digital Monsters is coming your way, so look out! 


	7. Chapter VI: Takato's Golden Opportunity

Me: For some reason, I'm not too concerned about Saturday's episode. Despite the information that Takato admitted he liked Jeri as more than a friend, I saw the hint of Rukato in there earlier, when Rika helped Takato-as well as Calumon-inside the ark. 

Rika: Yeah-as if what I did really helped him to make a decision. He chose Jeri over me, and after how I treated him before, I really can't blame him. (struggles to hide tears) 

Me: Hmm-no wonder he isn't here to berate me for killing you off in the previous chapter. He must be conflicted with his feelings for Jeri and his hidden feelings for you. Anyway, I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "My Sacrifice" by Creed or "Runaway" by Linkin Park. 

Rika: (wipes tears away) T-Two songs at once? 

Me: Yeah-first time for everything. I plan to use Creed's song first, though, then work in the song done by Linkin Park a little later, however. Don't give up hope, Rukato/LeeJuri fans! Even though Tamers may be over with in Japan, for every cloud, there's a silver lining-or however you're supposed to say that quote. 

Rika: (smiles) Just like Takato-always trying to help out others, even if you don't know them that well.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter VI-Takato's Golden Opportunity   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"This must be what evil tastes like!" -Phoebe Buffay, Friends 

"All right, Rika! I knew you'd make it!" -Takato Matsuki 

"Hey, there-need a lift?" -Rika Nonaka   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The final battle to save the city as well as the rest of the world from Henry's control didn't go as smoothly as Takato thought it would! After having Kazu and Jeri head over to help out Kenta and Yamaki, he, Guilmon, Terriermon and Rika were left to face the demon who'd possessed Henry. The demon suggested that Takato and Terriermon join with him and promised afterward, he'd let Rika go. Meanwhile, Yamaki was taken out of the game by a single hit by Phantomon's Shadow Scythe attack, and even though Andromon was deleted, Kazu sacrificed himself to try and save him from that same fate. As for Takato, he had to make not only one, but two gigantic sacrifices! He ended up killing the demon who'd possessed Henry's body, but in the process freed Rika from her prison and she died in his arms! Can Jeri be Takato's last hope to get home in one piece? Let's hope so!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Hello, my friend, we meet again-it's been a while, where should we begin? 

Feels like forever... 

Within my heart are memories of perfect love that you gave to me...oh, I remember 

Chorus: When you are with me, I'm free...I'm careless...I believe 

Above all the others, we'll fly-this brings tears to my eyes...my sacrifice 

We've seen our share of ups and downs, oh! How quickly life can turn around in an instant 

It feels so good to reunite within yourself and within your mind-let's find peace there 

Chorus: 'Cause when you are with me, I'm free...I'm careless...I believe 

Above all the others, we'll fly-this brings tears to my eyes...my sacrifice 

(I just want to say hello again...) 

I just want to say hello again...! 

Chorus: When you are with me, I'm free...I'm careless...I believe 

Above all the others, we'll fly-this brings tears to my eyes... 

When you are with me, I'm free...I'm careless...I believe 

Above all the others, we'll fly-this brings tears to my eyes...my sacrifice...my sacrifice 

I just want to say hello again...! 

My sacrifice...(song continues on; fades out on chords)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It rained all morning the day Rika, Kazu and Yamaki were buried. The skies reflected the silent pain and agony the remaining Tamers were going through-dark, no sun shining brightly above their heads...only deceitfulness and hatred as lightning flashed and thunder crackled with a resounding KABOOM! 

The only ones who'd actually gone to the funeral, besides Takato, Jeri, Kenta and the surviving Digimon-who'd remained hidden a few meters away-were the grateful people who'd recognized everything the Tamers had been forced to sacrifice throughout this war. The preacher who Kenta had managed to find on such short notice wasn't one from West Shinjuku, but one from a neighboring city miles away from here. To Takato, that really didn't matter that much, neither did it matter that during the time for songs to be played, one of Rika's favorite American songs, "My Sacrifice" was played. The only thing that mattered to him was how gorgeous Rika had become over the years, how even during the last moments of her life, she'd still believed in him despite his hesitation to kill Henry straightaway, and now she was gone from his life forever. 

"It isn't fair." Takato whispered sadly, touching Rika's casket with an outstretched hand. "All they did, and no one will ever know how brave they were. How much they had to give up during the start of this war, how much we all had to give up. Not even Rika's father will know how much she gave up. He should be here right now. That in spite of how uncaring he was toward her, she still turned out good and compassionate towards others." 

"We know." Jeri responded, pulling Takato's hand away from the casket. "That has to be enough." 

Looking upward at the sky, a part of Takato hoped that the rainstorm would truly wash away all the taint, pain and devastation that Henry and Daemon had left on his hometown. It might take a year of rainstorms, but this was a start, at least. 

As all the people began to pay their respects, Kenta responded in a calm and collected voice. "You know how life has been one game for us ever since we all became Tamers? How it was a game of peace and understanding, and how if you ever got in any trouble, your parents were there to help you out. Then, all of a sudden, a bully, or an old friend starts to destroy everything you've worked so hard to build, and now it's like the game's over and you can't gain any of it back." 

Takato shivered as a chill ran up his spine. Kenta had spoken some words like that before, but usually it was a wry comment reserved for either Kazu or Rika. In this case, he was offering words of comfort, to assist his fellow Tamers throughout the pain they were experiencing. 

"But I want things the way they were." Jeri whimpered, struggling to hold her tears back. 

"That's something that can't happen. Way I see it, that game's over and done with. But the bright side to this? There's the rest of the world to look at." 

As the preacher spoke the names of all the people who'd given their lives, Takato's ears perked up as he heard Henry, Susie, Ryo and most of the names of their parents said. That was the only memorial he would ever have. After the battle which had occurred three days ago, the dust that had once been Henry had blown away, and try as he might, Takato couldn't find a single trace of it. For Rika, Kazu and Yamaki, they would be given a proper burial. But for Henry, there wasn't even a body to bury near his parents or even near Susie. 

"I think she'd like that." Jeri suddenly said. 

"Huh?" 

"What's on the tombstone. I think Rika would like that." 

Looking past Rika's casket, Takato noticed the tombstone behind it and the inscription it held on it:   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Rika Matsuki 

Born: 1992 Died: 2007 

A dedicated Tamer, a determined Fighter, a devoted Lover and Wife 

You Shall Be Missed   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Sniffling, Takato nodded in agreement and wiped away his tears even as the congregation left. Once the preacher was gone, Guilmon, Terriermon and MarineAngemon came out of hiding and went to pay their own personal respects. After letting the Mega Digimon go first, Terriermon bravely stepped up and spoke to Kazu and Yamaki first, then headed over to Rika's casket. 

"The first time we met, I thought you were an uncaring, ungrateful and selfish person who didn't deserve to be a Tamer. Hey, look, Henry-I think I've finally got this tact thing down! Anyway, as the months went by, you changed into someone who really wanted to help out others, started to look out for your fellow Tamers and most importantly, you showed some compassion. What I'm tryin' to say is, I'll miss your cynicism and..." Struggling with his tears, the Rookie Digimon croaked out, "...Momentai while you're up there, huh?" 

Picking up the tear-stricken Terriermon, Takato noticed Guilmon was already finished talking with Kazu and Yamaki and was preparing to speak to Rika. Jeri, Kenta and MarineAngemon had given them some space. 

"I never really understood why you wanted to fight with me and Takato when we first met, but you must've seen something besides another chance to upload data, otherwise you wouldn't have changed when getting together with Takato. I wish you good luck and don't eat up all the bread, okey-dokey?" 

Giggling quietly, Takato placed Terriermon down and paid his respects to Kazu and Yamaki first. Having an extraordinary amount of courage, the young teenager found himself in front of his dead wife's casket. Clearing his throat, Takato started to speak. 

"Guilmon had a point: when we first met, I saw something in your eyes you kept hidden from yourself-you saw that I could've helped you with any pain you had and shouldered it for myself, but you didn't want to burden me with it...I think I understand why you didn't want me to take away your pain. You had to have something to fall back on in case something happened to me, but there's something I need to know: now that you're gone, what do I fall back on?" Crying openly, Takato sprawled his body across the casket, whispering, "Why didn't my parents tell me how much it hurt to lose someone you loved more than your own life? It seems like everything they ever told me was a lie. Farewell, my Digimon Queen, my sunshine...my Rika Matsuki...." 

Takato finally turned away from Rika's casket and, with Jeri, Kenta and the Digimon, departed from the cemetery.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Graffiti decorations under a sky of dust, a constant wave of tension on top of broken trust 

The lessons that you taught me I learned were never true! 

Now I find myself in question (They point the finger at me again!) 

Guilty by association (You point the finger at me again!)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"It's time." Takato declared as he wiped away his tears and eyed his Digivice. 

"Think we'll feel anything?" Kenta piped up. 

"I don't know. What I do know is that I can't allow this to ever happen." came the response. "Have you figured out how to get me back, Jeri?" 

"Even though there are two souls in you, you're still you, Takato. It shouldn't be that hard to separate one from the other. All I had to do was hack into Henry's computer by interfacing it with my own in the Digital World. Technically, it's a simple exorcism." 

"Huh?" 

Sighing, Jeri explained, "Basically, all I have to do is cut you and allow a few drops of blood to fall on your Digivice. Once that's done, the two souls will separate. The Takato who's supposed to be here will stay here; the other one will immediately be pulled back into the time stream and return to your rightful body when we were ambushed by your clone and Daemon. But we all know what happened then." 

Takato nodded. "Beelzemon was already a casualty, and Henry was chosen to be part of Daemon's army. I've got to figure out a way to save them both and keep this nightmarish future from ever happening." 

"Wouldn't what you're about to do be considered running away from your problems-?" Kenta's question was interrupted by Takato, who suddenly had a brief spout of hidden rage shoot up from an unknown spot deep in his heart. 

"The problem started when my stupid clone sent me forward in time and screwed everything up! This isn't how things are supposed to be-at least not back in my time, anyway. Running away would be 'considered' staying here and living out the rest of my life without trying to change things!" Takato growled angrily. 

"It's time, guys-time for me to go home!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: I wanna run away-never say good-bye! 

I wanna know the truth instead of wondering why! 

I wanna know the answers-no more lies! 

I wanna shut the door and open up my mind!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A day after the funeral, Takato found himself in front of Rika's grave, thinking it would be appropriate for him to have this done in front of his soulmate. A moment later, Jeri entered in on the young Tamer. 

"You ready?" 

"As I'll ever be." 

That said, Jeri took the knife from Takato's hand and gently applied pressure to his palm, causing him to bleed from his right hand. 

"Quick-the Digivice!" Jeri insisted. Nodding, Takato picked up his Digivice and three drops of blood had hit the direct center of his screen. At that second, Takato felt like he was falling...falling through an endless void of no return...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato's eyes widened in surprise. This hadn't happened the last time he'd been sent through a time stream! Now that he was heading backward in time, he saw everything that occurred before: the time Rika had died in his arms...the time he'd been forced to be a part of this horrendous war...Struggling to go past all those events, Takato went even farther back in time, waiting for that one moment in time that he needed...what felt like mere seconds to him was a significant number of years when he saw it-Daemon yanking his clone's soul out of his body...The empty vacuum called for his spirit, summoning him back to its rightful place... 

NO! 

Takato refused the chance to repeat the same actions that would result in Rika's eventual death and pushed on, going back even further in time...That's when he saw it-the moment in time he needed, when he was talking to Rika on the phone, he had an opportunity to have her contact the other Tamers into action or at least a slim possibility to escape Daemon's wrath...Smiling, Takato reached out to enter his body...Contact...But there was a problem-before, the only reason his clone had forced Takato's spirit to merge with his future half's body was because of the Digivice, and now that Jeri had helped him break that bond, he couldn't enter his body when it already had a soul...losing his focus, Takato found himself stretched across time entirely! Confused and extremely worried, the only thing that ran through the Tamer's mind was, "What can I do? All my talk about doing what's right, the right things to do...was it all for nothing...?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Paper bags and angry voices under a sky of dust, another wave of tension has more than filled me up 

All my talk of taking action, these words were never true! 

Now I find myself in question (They point the finger at me again!) 

Guilty by association (You point the finger at me again!)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"NO!" Takato's spiritual body screamed out defiantly, refusing to give up. "I'm a Digimon Tamer, and Tamers never give up on anything in life!" (A/N: Focus on this, Rukato fans-never give up on anything in life!) 

Smiling with courage singing through his heart, Takato recalled the time he'd first created Guilmon from a simple drawing and recieved his original Digivice...the time he'd first met Rika and had his first Tamers battle...the time he'd visited Rika at her home...the time Guilmon Digivolved to Growlmon...the time Growlmon Digivolved to WarGrowlmon against Mihiramon...the time he'd admitted his feelings of love to Rika inside the warehouse...the time Rika had broken up with him in the Digital World...when WarGrowlmon had Digivolved to Megidramon...when he and Guilmon Biomerged to form Gallantmon...returning to the missed point of time he needed, Takato reached as hard as possible, knowing deep in his heart he would be victorious this time around...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: I wanna run away-never say good-bye! 

I wanna know the truth instead of wondering why! 

I wanna know the answers-no more lies! 

I wanna shut the door and open up my mind!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Hey-I thought we were in this together. You're supposed to be helping me destroy my other half and his friends, and so far, you're not backing up your deal!" 

"Listen up, you-the only reason you're not pushing up daisies in the Digital World is because of me! You had your chance to beat those kids, and you blew it by acting stupid. Now that you're stuck with me-and I'm literally stuck with you-we're gonna do this my way. We're gonna start by helping those kids as much as possible by protecting their world-AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" 

"As long as I'm in your body, we're not gonna help the Tamers-we're gonna destroy them!" 

"I don't think so!" Takato growled while flying in and jumping inside Beelzemon's body. The Mega Digimon writhed in pain as he felt beings of extreme power battle it out inside his body! Seconds later, Takato's spirit and his clone exited out of Beelzemon, who gasped in relief at being free. 

"Now, it's time for you to rest-permanently!" Holding out his Digivice, Takato sent a spectral beam of light at his clone which hit and caused him to fade out entirely. 

"Thanks, kid! But, what are you doin' out of your body, and why would you help me? I killed your friend's partner." 

"True, but you want to help us out, and I need your help for what I have to do right now."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


(I'm gonna run away and never say good-bye!) 

Gonna run away, gonna run away, gonna run away, gonna run away... 

(I'm gonna run away and never wonder why!) 

Gonna run away, gonna run away, gonna run away, gonna run away... 

(I'm gonna run away and open up my mind!) 

Gonna run away, gonna run away, (mind!) gonna run away, gonna run away, (mind!) gonna run away, gonna run away, (mind!) gonna run away, gonna run away...! 

Chorus: I wanna run away-never say good-bye! 

I wanna know the truth instead of wondering why! 

I wanna know the answers-no more lies! 

I wanna shut the door and open up my mind! 

I wanna run away-and open up my mind! 

I wanna run away-and open up my mind! 

I wanna run away-and open up my mind! 

I wanna run away-and open up my mind! (song ends abruptly)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"That's for me to know and you to never find out. See you later." 

Unbeknownst to Rika Nonaka, who'd just hung up from talking to her boyfriend, she was about to have an out-of-body experience, and it wasn't her who had it. Renamon appeared behind her suddenly, prepared for battle. 

"Renamon, what is it?" 

"There's someone here. Two someones, Rika. They're both familiar, but one seems distant, somehow-like he's lost his focus." Renamon cautioned. 

"You got that right, for once!" A moment later, Beelzemon appeared, fully healed and restored from his initial attack before. 

"What are you doing back here? We already let you go once-don't think we're gonna do it again!" Rika warned. Grinning, the Mega Digimon stepped aside. 

"I'm not the one who needs to talk to you, Queenie." 

As the figure made himself visible, Rika figured it out even before he fully materialized, and her heart felt trapped within a block of ice. 

"No...it can't be...I won't believe it...!" 

"Hey, Rika." Takato stammered, a pleased smile on his face at seeing Rika alive and whole again. 

Struggling to maintain her composure, Rika felt nothing but pain and coldness inside her body. "Takato...please tell me you're not..." 

Wanting to relieve any pain he knew Rika was going through, Takato quickly reassured her. "It's not what you think, Rika! I'm still me-but I'm about to make a mistake, and I need your help." 

Cautiously stepping forward, Rika stared at Takato's spectral eyes and saw the torment inside. She knew he needed help, otherwise he wouldn't be like this. 

"What...do you need?" 

"We're about to be attacked by Daemon-you do know who I'm talking about, right?" 

Eyeing Takato with a cynical look, Rika retorted, "Almost everyone who's watched that old TV show knows who Daemon is, Gogglehead." 

Takato's smile broadened at seeing Rika back to her old self. "Anyway, I'm gonna need the help of the entire team-that includes Susie, Kenta, Kazu and..." Takato braced himself for what he was about to say next. "...Ryo." 

Rika herself shuddered at the same time as Takato's spectral form did. "Won't we just need me, you-if you're still alive, I mean-Henry and Jeri? With the four of us, he doesn't stand a chance!" 

"That's what I thought, too, but this happened. Kazu is essential to this-I'm gonna need him to make another Modify card, specifically made for me!" Takato quickly explained the details of how the Sword of Courage specifically looked to Rika and she nodded, memorizing it as best she could. 

"All right-I'll wake up the comic relief. Are you sure you're gonna be all right, Takato?" Seeing a worried look on Rika's face, Takato nodded. 

"With you and the rest of the team, I will be. But you'll have to hurry, or it'll be just like last time." 

"Last time?" 

"Henry will die." Takato explained, a concerned tone in his voice. "And that's just the beginning." 

So far, Beelzemon's okay, and Rika knows what's what. Now all that needs to happen is Takato's gotta save his best friend from Death's door! Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	8. Chapter VII: Kazu Comes Through

Me: Okay, I've gotten over my deal concerning Saturday's episode and I am back in the game! I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "Schism" by Tool. 

Takato: Aren't you the least bit concerned about the outcome of all this? 

Me: My young muse, I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't scared out of my wits about this entire thing, but I'm confident about one thing: no matter what happens, you and Rika are like Tai and Sora-meant to be, and nobody-not even a Legendary Tamer like Ryo, your good friend Jeri, or your other friend Henry, will keep the two of you apart. 

Takato: (blushes) Thanks. I'm glad you've got that much confidence in us. 

Me: That, and I got to pound you into the ground after reading max acorn's story. (laughs) 

Takato: (groans) Don't bring that up again! I still have bruises from all those contenders. 

Rika: At least I got to mend your wounds, right? 

Takato: You didn't have to yell out, "more, more! He's strong; he can take it!" 

Me: Ah, young love. Onward! To Frozen Phoenix, yes, Angelus' quote was from "Passion," and I plan to add another one into a future chapter of this story as well.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter VII-Kazu Comes Through   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Kazu-dude, you drew that thing. It's not real!" -Kenta 

"Hey, Takato created Guilmon from a drawing, and he's a crummy artist!" -Kazu 

"Gee, thanks a lot!" -Takato Matsuki, Out of the Blue!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


At least the funeral turned out nice, right? A lot of people showed up, but none of that mattered to Takato. After the Digimon paid their final respects to their friends, Takato took the time to say a final farewell to his deceased wife before leaving with the others. A few days later-we think!-Jeri tried that little exorcism trick, and it worked! Takato was sent back in time, even far enough to save Beelzemon from a fate the Virus-type didn't deserve. After that happened, Takato explained most of what happened to Rika, who was alive and well, I might add. Now, she's gotta round up the other Tamers, and she'd better hurry or for our Casperesque friend, history just may repeat itself!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Come on, kid-keep up the pace! If what you told me is true, we don't have a lot of time if we want to keep this psychedelic future from happening." Beelzemon warned while flying as fast as possible toward Takato's schoolgrounds. 

"I would if I could fly like you could, but even though I'm a ghost, I still have trouble flying!" Takato retorted until the Mega Digimon sighed and grabbed him by the hand, yanking him along. 

"I just got one question for you-why didn't you tell your girl the truth about what happened to you then? I mean, what's gonna happen? I-ahh! This is why time travel made no sense to me in the first place!" 

Smirking, Takato nodded in agreement. "I had a hard time adjusting to it, too, even if I was calm on the outside. Anyway, I don't want to get her hopes up since I'm gonna try and keep this from happening to us at all. That includes the two of us getting...together for the rest of our lives." 

"Whoa. I had no idea you cared about her that much, kid. Hang on-we'll be there in two shakes of a Gatomon's tail."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Don't even say it! My mother had this made for me the day after I Biomerged, so if I hear any laughter, one-liners or the tiniest hint of a joke, someone's gonna feel a world of pain where they wouldn't heal anytime soon! Are we clear on that fact?" 

With a gigantic sweatdrop on the back of his head, the flesh-and-blood version of Takato stammered, "We're clear, Rika-crystal. By the way, where are Kazu, Kenta, Susie and Ryo-not that I want Ryo here, just curious." 

"Didn't you ever hear about curiosity killin' the cat, kid?" 

Turning with profound speed for a person his age, Takato, the other Tamers and the Digimon found themselves glaring at Beelzemon, who was just hovering there, not attacking or anything. 

"I don't get it. Last time, he said this wasn't over, so why not attack now?" 

"Be careful." Leomon cautioned. "This may be a trick." 

A second later, Takato's spiritual form appeared beside Beelzemon, and Takato's flesh-and-blood self recognized him instantly, as did the others. Unlike Jeri, who was near tears, and Henry, who looked like he was in shock, Rika stood there passively, waiting for what was going to happen next. 

"Who are you supposed to be-my clone?" Unlike anyone else, Takato saw how unnerved this situation was-who else would know but Takato Matsuki himself. 

"The Ghost of Christmas yet-to-come." the spirit replied with a sheepish grin. "And as for the clone, he's been taken care of. Look, you're about to do something, and the consequences of your actions will be your fault alone. I can stop it from ever occurring if you'll let me." 

Narrowing his gaze, Takato and Henry-who'd stepped forward-asked, "How?" 

"Trust me." 

For a moment, Takato feared this wouldn't work, that everything he'd just been through was for nothing. Yet once more, he proved himself wrong by taking a chance. Takato's flesh-and-blood half reached out a hand toward his spiritual half and the two hands crisscrossed a second later. Takato's fingers instantly passed right through his skin.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Once again, two souls merged as one in the body of the leader of the Digimon Tamers. Memories of the nightmarish future and the days to come the young boy had lived in so briefly, clashed with the mind of a Takato who had yet to experience any of it. Overwhelmed, saddened by the multiple losses endured during the war and the pain when he'd lost Rika forced Takato to his knees in silent agony. Shaking, the Tamer struggled to absorb all this information, but found that it wasn't that hard because he'd already been through it once before. With a worried look just now crossing her face, Rika stepped forward on Takato's other side. 

"Are you okay?" 

"I will be." Takato replied while accepting her help back up. "Impmon, make sure Kazu and the others are actually on their way here!" 

Grunting audibly, Beelzemon flew off a second later. 

"As I was saying..." Henry interjected, once it appeared that Takato would be all right. "I got a call from Yamaki last night, and he sounded as worried as he was the day we were attacked by that gigantic Pig Deva-a massive amount of energy is being collected from a focal point beyond the Digital World and is making its way here!" 

Words...the exact same words uttered before, and Takato knew he had to play along, for the moment. 

"What? You mean-to the Real World?" 

"How'd you put it to Beelzemon? 'In a nutshell-yeah.'" Terriermon quipped. 

"Terriermon-now really isn't the time for this!" 

"Hello!" Rika's heated response broke up Terriermon and Henry's quarrel-a little early, Takato noted-so she asked, "The last thing you just said to us: the energy is heading to our world?" 

"If Yamaki's right, the energy being collected isn't the problem-its the amount. Someone with power levels reading off the chart would be extremely strong." Henry warned, his tone taking on a worried state. 

"How high a level would it have to be?" 

Takato wasn't showing it, but he was getting even more worried now than he was the first time he'd gone through this. It seemed like the team was repeating the same motions over again. 

"Not completely!" Takato thought to himself. "The others are on their way, and this time, I've got the one weapon that should defeat Daemon for good!" 

"When's this being, or whoever's supposed to be sucking up the energy coming through?" Takato spoke up. 

"Yamaki really didn't say. A few hours, a couple weeks..." 

"LOOK OUT!" Takato suddenly screamed as he grabbed Rika and covered her with his body the second the others had been blasted back toward the ground in pain as numerous bolts of energy connected at that time on the spot they were all standing at. 

"...or the next day, which technically, would be today."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I know the pieces fit, 'cause I watched them fall away 

Mildewed and smoldering, fundamental differing 

Pure intention, juxtaposed will set two lovers' souls in motion 

Disintegrating as it goes-testing our communication 

The light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us so we cannot see to reach an end-crippling our communication   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Remind me again why Impmon had to wake us up at whatever time it was on our clocks?!" Kazu griped impatiently while struggling to keep up with Guardromon, Kenta, MarineAngemon, Ryo and Cyberdramon. 

"According to Rika, Takato needed you to draw some sort of new Modify card for him before we left-did you draw it?" 

"'Did I draw it?' I didn't even have time to eat breakfast, and you're telling me Chumly wanted me to draw him a card? Who does he think I am-Harry Potter?" 

"You didn't draw the card." Ryo concluded grimly. "Rika's gonna hate you even more for this. She was very adamant about that card being made." 

"Like I care what Takato's girl wants done. What I care about is-what the heck is that?!" 

Kazu, Kenta, Ryo and the Digimon all observed what the others were seeing at the school-an extremely powerful Digimon. 

"It can't be!" 

"I think it is." 

"Finally-my ultimate opponent!" Seconds later, Cyberdramon growled defiantly while flying off! 

"Cyberdramon, wait! He looks powerful-maybe even too powerful for you to handle!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The instant Takato helped Rika back up, the two of them gazed upward at the Digimon before them and clasped each other's hands tightly. Daemon was still as terrifying to Takato now as he'd been in that transformed future, and still in those same clothes. 

"Welcome back, Daemon. Pleased to see you again." Takato said calmly, a tiny grin on his face. 

The Mega Digimon's stance took on a reserved nature, but remained upright. 

"You know who I am? Excellent. That should make my task more easier. I would've been here sooner, but I had to collect quite a lot of energy from the previous battles you'd been in, and having to absorb the data from your clones' bodies, the Digimon's clones' and even his clone's body-" Daemon pointed at Guilmon, whose eyes were dilated the instant the blast had occurred, "-saved you some serious time and prevented you from sending any Digimon after us, I've heard this all before, so now it's time for us to go." Takato interrupted, a determined look on his face. 

With something that could've been shock on his face, Daemon recollected himself and responded, "All I really came here for was the soul of your clone's body." 

Knowing that he was speaking the truth, Takato replied, "Oh, that's easy, 'cause he's at where we're gonna send you-gone." 

"So, in other words, we don't have what you want. You can just leave now before we have to pound you into the ground." Rika declared, stepping in front of Takato protectively and glaring at Daemon. 

Daemon's response hadn't been what the Tamers had expected, except for Takato, who'd gone through this before-he started laughing out loud. 

"You truly think you can defeat me in battle-with Digimon like these?! You must be joking!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I know the pieces fit, 'cause I watched them tumble down 

No fault, none to blame-it doesn't mean I don't desire to point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over 

To bring the pieces back together-rediscover communication!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Biomerge Digivolution! 

"BIOMERGE, ACTIVATE!" Takato, Rika, Henry and Jeri demanded, the four friends immediately transforming into data once more and merging with their respective Digimon. 

"Guilmon Biomerge to...GALLANTMON!!!" 

"Renamon Biomerge to...SAKUYAMON!!!" 

"Terriermon Biomerge to...MEGAGARGOMON!!!" 

"Leomon Biomerge to...SABERLEOMON!!!" 

"I'm impressed. Maybe you'll be able to give me a better fight than the DigiDestined ever could." 

Narrowing his eyes within his protective sphere, Takato used full power seconds after hearing those same words over once again as did the other Tamers, striking Daemon with precision and causing that same explosion to occur. 

"Way to go, guys-you showed him a one-two-three punch ticket outta here!" Calumon cheered from below, his ears extended in glee. Takato felt his eyes tear up at hearing the In-Training Digimon's voice again and was reminded of the way he would die in the future if he didn't stop Daemon from doing what he was going to do to Henry in a few minutes. 

"Hey, Chumly! What's goin' on? Is there something you need our help with?" 

"Henwy, why'd you have that angwy kid's friend call over? Lopmon and I were playing, 'Hide fwom Pwincess Pwetty Pants!'" 

Inside his sphere, Henry facefaulted in surprise as Susie and Lopmon appeared next to the others, then anger as MegaGargomon suddenly turned and glared at Gallantmon and Sakuyamon. 

"You had Rika wake Susie up and get her over here?! I told you I didn't want her in the middle of this!" 

Angered, Sakuyamon stepped in between Gallantmon and MegaGargomon, speaking clearly in Rika's voice. 

"Takato said we would need the whole team for this, and as much as I would want your sister out of harm's way, as long as she has that Digivice, she's a Tamer too! So get over it and quit trying to blame Takato for this!" 

The echoing, booming laughter heard by the entire Tamer team and by everyone within a five-mile radius caused all action to cease. The dust cleared away, leaving Daemon revealed, but just as before-without a single scratch on his body, save for a mark left by the combined attacks! 

"Very cute-the Tamers think they can defeat me without even blinking. As a dreaded and feared foe once said to you, 'allow me to show you what a Digimon of TRUE power can do! Evil Inferno!!" 

A ball of fiery light appeared in Daemon's hands and started to grow bigger and bigger. Seconds before it would've exploded, he hurled it forward. BLAM! Gallantmon planted his feet and barely managed to avoid getting blasted back to the ground like the others had been. 

"Guys, are you okay-?" 

Takato gasped in shock as he found out what had happened. He truly was changing history, because Sakuyamon, MegaGargomon and SaberLeomon had deDigivolved once they'd hit the ground! Calumon yelped in surprise, fear and sadness as his ears retracted. 

"Oh, no...what is Takato gonna do now? It's not like he can Digivolve any higher than Mega."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The poetry that comes from the squaring off between and the circling is worth it-finding beauty in the dissonance!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Rika-are you all right?" Gallantmon asked, the voices of Takato and Guilmon speaking at that instant. 

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just take him down." 

Noticing that Daemon wasn't attacking him while his guard was down, Gallantmon turned toward Kazu. 

"Kazu, did you make that card for me like Rika asked?" 

Laughing loudly while scratching the back of his head, Kazu stammered, "That's a funny thing, Takato. You caught me at a bad time when your girl woke me up a few minutes ago, so I kinda-" 

"You didn't make the card?!" Takato's voice shrilled out loud and clear a second later! "Just great! Now what are we gonna do?" 

"The only thing you can do for them now, Tamer, is die first. EVIL INFERNO!!" 

Takato barely had time to turn before he was blasted by an extremely gigantic ball of fire! Screaming in agony, Gallantmon deDigivolved into Takato and Guilmon, the Rookie Digimon striking the ground next to the others; Takato flying a few meters past them!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


There was a time that the pieces fit, but I watched them fall away 

Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting 

I've done the math enough to know the dangers of our second-guessing 

Doomed to crumble unless we grow and strengthen our communication!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


For several heartbeats, Takato assumed Daemon's blast had killed him, and filed that away within his mind. That suggestion was taken away as his vision cleared and he saw Rika above him, her hair down for once and a worried look on her face, Kazu right by her side saying something-he figured it was an apology or something similar to that. At that moment, a bright light blinded him and he shut his eyes. The second he reopened his eyes, Kazu was holding up a card in his hand that looked painfully familiar to Takato. 

"Did you see that, Takato? I just summoned a Modify card without even wanting it for myself! I think this is the one you wanted me to make for you." 

Forcing himself up, Takato ignored the numerous amounts of pain that felt like needles in the back of his head and plucked the card from Kazu's hand. 

"Thanks, Kazu-I knew you'd come through for me, pal!" 

"What card is that, Takato?" Rika asked gently, making sure he didn't hurt himself even further. 

Smiling with ease, the Tamer placed the card on the top of his deck and replied casually, "You'll see, Rika-you'll see." 

Flying in at that moment, Beelzemon took in the scene and eyed Takato, Rika and Kazu some meters away. 

"Hey, kid! Is everything okay now?" 

"Not...yet, but it will be." Making sure Guilmon was all right, Takato focused his attention back on Daemon, his eyes narrowed and blazing with fire at the same time. 

"Okay, Daemon-you wanna take on a Tamer and absorb his soul? Try me." 

That hadn't been a response any of the Tamers-or Beelzemon-had expected Takato to say! 

"Takato, are you serious? You wouldn't survive a second against Daemon!" Henry objected. 

"Has being with Rika finally caused your mind to melt, Takato? Just use-" 

Quickly hushing Kazu up, Takato stared at Daemon's fiery-like eyes. 

"Just you and me, Daemon. Me-and my cards." 

Grinning evilly, Daemon responded, "Deal. But without your partner to back you up, I'm afraid you will only be the first to fall as I start my new empire." 

"Oh-I think I could surprise you."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Cold...cold...cold.... 

Cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Slowly walking forward, ignoring the protests of the others, including Rika and Guilmon, Takato patiently edged his way upward until he was toe-to-toe with Daemon. 

"I'll even let you make the first move." Takato advised. "But you'd better make it a good one." 

"My first move will be my last move." the Mega Digimon chuckled evilly. 

"You're right about that." 

"Time to say, 'goodbye,' Tamer. Evil Inferno!!" 

At that second, Takato whipped out his newest Modify card and swiped it. 

"Digimodify! Sword of Courage, activate!" 

WHAM! Rika struggled against Renamon and Ryo's hold as Takato was engulfed in a fiery explosion that almost the entire world could hear! Guilmon was held back too, but by Leomon and Cyberdramon.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Between supposed lovers! Between supposed brothers!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The explosion faded away to reveal Takato, completely unscathed from the attack and floating in the air holding the Sword of Courage in his right hand and his scabbard in his left. 

"Funny-the card never changed into the Sword before. Why would it do that now?" 

"Takato!" Making sure Daemon wasn't going to make a move first, Takato turned around to see the excited faces of his friends, including Rika and Guilmon who looked as if they would cry tears of joy. 

"I'm okay, guys! See-no wounds, although I don't get how that happened." 

Quickly, Henry pulled out his D-Power and scanned the Sword. 

"Guys, I think we've got some serious firepower on our side! This is the Sword of Courage, a Hybrid-type weapon that can protect the user of the card from any attack, can also defeat any Digimon from In-Training to Mega and can grant the user of the card flight abilities!" 

Grinning, Takato replied, "In other words..." 

"...Hybrid's a higher level than Mega!" Kazu cheered while slapping Kenta a high-five. "Who's da man? Who's da man? Huh? Who's da man?" 

Shivering slightly while turning to face Daemon, Takato remembered those words spoken once before, the echoes of a future that now would never be. 

"Time to say goodbye, Daemon!" Takato swiftly flew toward Daemon, the golden part of the Sword of Courage swishing loudly as he engaged his enemy. Laughing, the Mega Digimon simply held out his hands and stopped Takato from coming any further. 

"You honestly thought you would defeat me with a toy such as this?" 

"Actually-yeah, I did." Focusing on everything he'd just gone through, seeing the future horribly changed and being granted a second chance to change everything, Takato, the Tamers and the Digimon watched as the hilt exploded in brilliant lights of red and blue before exploding in blasts of colored streaks hitting Daemon and causing him to burst out in an overload of energy once again. Floating above the ground, Takato smiled as he and the others observed the data Daemon had collected being absorbed by everyone-Guilmon, Renamon, Terriermon, Leomon, Guardromon, MarineAngemon, Lopmon, Cyberdramon and even Beelzemon and Calumon! 

"That's how the pieces are supposed to fit." Takato whispered before smiling broadly at his overjoyed girlfriend who recomposed herself and grinned in response to the glorious victory they'd accomplished...together.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit! (song continues; ends abruptly)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Knees weakened from the extremity of the battle fought during mid-morning, Takato stumbled a bit before falling into his girlfriend's outstretched arms. 

"You did a good job, Gogglehead." 

Shaking his head gingerly, Takato replied, "We did a good job. You guys were all up there with me, even if you weren't literally up there in the air." 

Rika shrugged at that response before leaning down and kissing Takato for a job well done. 

"Hey-where's my kiss? If it weren't for me, Takato would probably be at Death's door right now!" Kazu interjected grimly. 

Eyeing him with a steely gaze, Rika simply ignored Kazu's "outburst" and steadied Takato even as the sword changed back into his Modify card and the scabbard changed into his Digivice. 

"There's a lot you'll have to tell us, you know." Rika whispered into the Tamer's ear. 

"Hmm." 

"Like why were we all supposed to be here and we didn't help out that much at all against this guy." 

"That's easy." Takato mumbled back. "Even though you weren't physically helping out, you all were helping out by caring for me, giving me your strength that I needed to pull through. It wasn't because of the Sword that I was protected-it was because of you guys by being there, all of you, human and Digimon, that was the main reason and the only reason that I wasn't hurt by Daemon's attack." 

Feeling her cheeks grow slightly hot, Rika knew her boyfriend was drifting off to sleep, so she murmured, "I love you, Takato." against his ear. 

Smiling lightly, Takato responded, "I love you too, Rika." even as he dozed off within Rika's protective arms. Unbeknownst to any of the Tamers, something else had followed Daemon in through those many bolts of energy-a tiny glob of something that looked like dough. The only problem with it was that it was steadily growing bigger because of the residue data the Digimon hadn't been able to absorb. 

Uh-oh! Looks like trouble just followed the Tamers into town, and they have no idea about it! What's gonna happen now, even though Takato's back from his time-travel experience? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	9. Chapter VIII: Pushing Jeri Away

Me: Ahh...another glorious day, isn't it? 

Rika: Yeah, right. 

Me: (sighs) Sometimes, you just...I don't own Digimon or "Pushing Me Away" by Linkin Park. By the way, I'm changing the summary. 

Takato: What for?! 

Terriermon: Well, you're not in the future anymore, right? 

Takato: No, but- 

Terriermon: What good does that summary do DC if you're in the present with the rest of us? 

Me: He's got a point. (does a double-take) Terriermon?! What are you doing in here? 

Henry: Terriermon-what have I told you about sneaking into closed areas without a pass? 

Terriermon: Just wanted to set Takatomon straight. So, what's this chapter about? 

Me: (groans) All you need to know is this: you guys finally run into the infamous Chaos-or that's what the show calls it, anyway. Me, I prefer to see it as Stage I of the D-Reaper. 

Rika: I think that's what we all prefer to call it. 

Me: And on that note, we are departing toward the next installment in "The Lost Tamer!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter VIII-Pushing Jeri Away   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"It hurts sometimes, more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow...empty rooms...shuttered and dank. Without passion, we'd be truly dead." Angelus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


After getting back to his own time in one piece, and helping Beelzemon out of a jam, Takato managed to find Rika and had her contact the other Tamers and alert them of the situation. As for our spectral friend, he reunited with his own body once again and helped the others handle Daemon who, as before, proved to be too much for even Gallantmon to handle! Luckily for Takato, Kazu created the special Modify card he needed at the right time. So, Takato used the Sword of Courage and successfully defeated Daemon once and for all, and in doing so, preserved the future! After all that pain, you'd think Takato would be able to catch a break, huh?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Two days, at least, had passed since Takato had bested Daemon for good with the Sword of Courage, and the other Tamers had been eager to know how he'd known what he knew. Figuring he shouldn't tell them anything about the apocalyptic future he'd been in, the young Tamer said that he'd had a dream about what would occur and the ways that Takato used to beat Daemon-like the Sword of Courage-had been a part of that dream. And on this supposedly glorious afternoon, Takato wasn't spending time with his girlfriend as he'd promised himself he would the instant he'd returned from where he'd been-instead, he was feeding Guilmon his usual-day old and day old, day old bread for lunch when he heard some faint crying coming from some bushes a few meters away. Confused on who would be in such a melancholy mood on a pretty impressive day, Takato decided to check it out. 

"Hello? Is anyone out there? Do you need me to get some-?" 

"Takato!" A second later, Takato gulped loudly as Jeri embraced him tightly with her arms wrapped around his waist. 

"Uh...hey, Jeri. How's your day gone? Where's Henry at-?" 

"Don't mention that name ever again!" Jeri spat out while wiping away her tears, which didn't do her that good since some were still rolling down her cheeks. 

"Jeri...what happened?" Takato asked worriedly, looking up and noticing Rika entering in as well as Calumon popping in from atop a tree branch. 

"What's wrong with her?" Rika motioned toward Jeri with a look in her eyes Takato could only perceive as jealousy-he should know; he's made it perfectly clear that he despised Ryo on more than one occasion, so he'd give her this one. 

"Honestly, I don't know, but I'd guess it has something to do with a Tamer who has a rabbit-like Digimon for a partner-and it's not Susie." 

"Oh, no. Jeri looks so sad. Can I help out?" Calumon piped up. 

"In a few minutes." Rika replied. 

"Jeri, if we're gonna help you, we've gotta know what happened." Takato advised calmly. 

Sniffling, Jeri nodded in agreement while pulling away from Takato a second later. 

"O-okay. It started earlier this morning when I had Leomon head back to the Digital World for a reconnaissance, to see how everything was holding up since our departure..."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I've lied to you the same way that I always do 

This is the last smile that I'll fake for the sake of being with you 

(Everything falls apart-even the people who never frown eventually break down!) 

The sacrifice of hiding in a lie! 

(Everything has to end-you'll soon find we're out of time left to watch it all unwind!) 

The sacrifice is never knowing...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Flashback: Earlier that day 

"Just stay asleep, Guilmon. You'll never know we were here." Jeri suggested sweetly as she and Leomon moved as quietly as they could past the Virus-type Digimon into a hole that hadn't been covered up. 

"Are you sure you won't need me here, Jeri? You never know when an evil Digimon could pop up, and around here, that seems to happen a lot-or, that's what Terriermon tells me." 

Giggling lightly, the young girl playfully shoved her partner deeper inside the hole. "I'll be fine-trust me on this! Besides, if any trouble does show up, Henry and Terriermon can look out for me. And if things get really rough, Takato can help him out." 

Raising an eyebrow, the Champion Digimon responded, "I have no doubt of young Takato's skills or of Henry's bravery. Okay, I'll go see how the Digital World has fared since we've left. I should be back before nightfall!" Seconds later, Leomon was gone. 

"Jeri-are you here? We need to talk." 

Hearing Henry yell out caused Jeri to blush deeply before heading out the doorway, making sure not to wake Guilmon up. 

"Good morning!" Jeri enveloped Henry in a passionate kiss before the Tamer reluctantly pulled her away. 

"Nice wake-up call. Uh...Jeri? There's something I've got to tell you." 

"Yes...?" 

Knowing how much she trusted him and seeing the love she held only for him in her eyes caused Henry's heart to ache even more than it was now. "I think we should take a break for now." 

Confused and worried, Jeri stepped away from him. "What are you saying?" 

Saddened, Henry dropped his gaze down toward his shoes. He knew that anything he said from here on out would be a lie, and he'd rather not have to explain the truth to her. "I can't see you anymore. It's not you, Jeri-not at all, please don't believe that. It's me. Actually, my parents. They can understand the whole Digimon thing, they've accepted it. What they don't accept is me being in a relationship with someone I go to school with now, since I'm so far behind on my studies." 

As Jeri's eyes filled up with unshed tears, Henry felt his own eyes tear up. He'd promised himself that he'd protect her from anything that would cause her any harm, and here he was doing the one thing he'd promised he wouldn't do! "I'm sorry, Jeri. Maybe in another few years, after everything's quieted down...?" 

The instant Henry smiled gently at her was when Jeri broke down and ran off in tears. The last thing she heard before vanishing was her ex-boyfriend sobbing quietly in the background... 

End flashback   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato's hands were clenched tightly as he struggled to control his anger. The last time he'd let it explode in such a ferocity, the Tamers had been forced to take on Megidramon! Seeing how emotional her boyfriend had become, Rika quickly moved over to his side and gently massaged his shoulders. 

"This helps him to relax sometimes." Rika explained as Jeri eyed them with a confused look. "Anything else?" 

"That's it. I know I did something wrong! Was I not a good enough Tamer for him? Didn't I prove myself when I helped out against that one Digimon who wanted me to make milkshakes for him?" 

"He was right on that one point-it isn't you." Rika insisted before her own anger started escalating. "Something's up with him, and someone should go and figure it out." 

Not even needing to ask, Takato pulled himself away from Rika's hands and started off. 

"Without beating him up, Gogglehead!" Sighing, Rika turned toward Jeri and offered her a grin. "I'll make sure Takato doesn't throttle him, okay? And we'll figure out what's wrong with Henry. Until then, Calumon can keep an eye on you." 

Nodding agreeably, the In-Training Digimon flew down toward Jeri's level as Rika shot off after Takato. 

"I know I've eaten at least a dozen of these, but do you have any cream puffs on you, huh, Jeri? Do you?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: Why I never walked away, why I played myself this way 

Now I see your testing me pushes me away! 

Why I never walked away, why I played myself this way 

Now I see your testing me pushes me away!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Henry, where are you?!" Takato demanded angrily as he pushed bushes aside to get back toward Guilmon's hut, Rika a heartbeat behind him. 

"Takato, what's wrong with you? Normally, I'm the one who's trying to start something and your supposed to stop me-why is it we've suddenly switched roles?" 

Pushing his anger back, Takato turned to face Rika with a sincere look in his eyes. 

"I never told you this because mostly, I figured it was private. Has Jeri ever told you anything about her family life?" 

"Besides the fact her parents run a store like your parents run that bakery, no. What does that have to do with-?" 

"Jeri's mother is dead. She died some years ago when Jeri was probably around Susie's age, I think. When her father remarried, her stepmother tried to be friends with Jeri, but she didn't want to. I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that if she got close to her, and something happened again, it would crush her." 

"You mean like with Leomon?" 

Nodding, Takato continued. "When Beelzemon-Impmon-deleted Leomon, it reminded Jeri of that time when her mother...you know. I saw it in her eyes before I snapped-twice, matter-of-fact. To prove my point, when Henry just 'decided' to break up with Jeri, that brought those feelings roaring back to the surface-someone Jeri really cares about and loves is leaving her." 

Takato saw that Rika was trying to keep her tears from falling, so he gently hugged her. 

"And I thought I had a rough life." 

"You don't-not as long as I'm here. As long as you need me, I'll always be here for you, Rika." 

At that moment, Takato and Rika heard some crying, but it wasn't coming from either one of them. Turning, they saw Henry a few paces away from Guilmon's home. 

"Why didn't she tell me?" 

Glaring daggers at his friend, Takato snarled, "Jeri was probably waiting for the right time to tell you, and you just break up with her without even giving her a good enough reason!" Takato angrily shoved Henry down to the ground, the Tamer showing no resistance. 

"Takato! Wait until he gives us his side of the story." 

Glancing back at Rika, Takato stepped aside, noticing Terriermon sleeping outside of the Virus Digimon's home. 

"Okay-" Rika stepped up and yanked Henry up by his collar. "-remind me why I shouldn't pound you into hamburger now? You've just hurt someone who I can consider a friend, someone who Takato sees as a good friend. What is so important that it would make you break up with Jeri?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I've tried like you to do everything you wanted to 

This is the last time I'll take the blame for the sake of being with you 

(Everything falls apart-even the people who never frown eventually break down!) 

The sacrifice of hiding in a lie! 

(Everything has to end-you'll soon find we're out of time left to watch it all unwind!) 

The sacrifice is never knowing...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Sighing deeply, Henry admitted the truth to his closest friends. "I was scared. Not of Jeri-I could never be scared of her. I was scared of how her father would react to us being together. My parents already know about us, and they've accepted it-as long as Jeri and I don't do..." 

"Yeah, Rika and I got the riot act for that too." Takato replied while hiding his reddened cheeks. 

"Anyway, remember when we first came back from the Digital World and SaberLeomon had been defeated by Beelzemon?" 

Eyeing Henry with a look, Takato responded, "I was possessed, so I don't recall that much of that day-unless you add the part where I was stabbed by my own soul mate." Takato chuckled lightly, but Rika slugged him on his arm, obviously still hurt by what she'd been forced to do. 

"Okay, then Rika-do you remember that?" 

"I was fighting his clone so I wasn't really focused on anything else." 

Sighing even deeper than before, Henry hid his irritation and continued. "Well, after that, I had Leomon take Jeri back to her father, but to our surprise, her father had left! Obviously, he couldn't handle seeing his only daughter being hurt, but Jeri said it was something else, something she hadn't told anybody." 

The two waited patiently as Renamon appeared behind the three of them, moving toward Guilmon's home and waking the two Rookie Digimon up. 

"On the night before she left with the rest of us to the Digital World, Jeri's father told her, 'you're leaving on your own; you can come back on your own. Don't expect me to hold your hand for you at every crossroad!'" 

A second later, unable to hold back any longer, Takato punched Henry across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground. 

"Hey-what's wrong with you, Takato? What'd Henry do to you?" Terriermon asked, stepping in front of his Tamer protectively. 

"Sorry, Henry, but you have to admit you deserve that, at least! Jeri's been keeping a part of herself hidden from the world-from her father, from Leomon, from me and even from you. You could've brought her back out, but you pushed her farther away from us." 

Nodding in agreement, Henry slumped on the ground next to Terriermon as Leomon reappeared behind the two of them. 

"Where's Jeri at? She said she'd be with you, Henry." 

Groaning sadly, Henry turned to eye the powerful Champion Digimon. Leomon had trusted him just as much as Jeri did, and he'd let them both down by acting childish, as well as Takato. "It's my fault, Leomon. I-" 

The Tamers and the Digimon all faced upward the second they heard a loud scream from some meters or so away! 

"Jeri!" Henry cried out while forcing himself up and running off, Takato and the others hot on his heels.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: Why I never walked away, why I played myself this way 

Now I see your testing me pushes me away! 

Why I never walked away, why I played myself this way 

Now I see your testing me pushes me away! 

(We're all out of time, this is how we find how it all unwinds! (echoes)) 

The sacrifice of hiding in a lie! 

(We're all out of time, this is how we find how it all unwinds! (echoes)) 

The sacrifice is never knowing...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"It's all my fault!" Henry thought sadly while racing as fast as he could, holding Terriermon tightly in his grasp. "I shouldn't have broken up with her in the first place. Takato was right-I was just pushing her farther away, and now no one was here to protect her when she needed it! I wouldn't blame Leomon if he sliced me in two with his sword, or if Takato wanted to help Rika play punching bag with my face." 

Gasping loudly, "Jeri!" Henry broke through the last bush to see a gigantic blob of enormous size in front of him, the spot where Jeri and Calumon were just at! 

"Jeri!" Henry cried out worriedly. 

"Where's Calumon at?" Rika yelled out as she, Takato and the others made their way in. 

Pulling out his sword, Leomon demanded, "I don't know what you are, but if you know where Jeri is, I suggest you release her now or suffer the consequences! YAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" 

"Wait, Leomon!" Takato objected, but as the Champion Digimon flew forward, the blob seemed to move to its left, sending Leomon down to the ground! 

"That had to hurt!" Terriermon noted while running up to him. "You okay?" 

"I'll live." Leomon grunted. 

Moments later, the blob continued to grow as it left the Tamers alone at the park, to their surprise! 

"Jeri...it's all my fault...!" 

"Snap out of it!" Leomon suddenly growled, turning to face Henry with a stern glare. "I don't know what happened between you and Jeri, but it must've been pretty bad for you to start blaming yourself for what just occurred right now. If you truly love her, then you'll help me find her." 

Smiling lightly, Henry wiped his tears away and nodded in agreement. He could apologize to Jeri later, once they found her. "I'm in!" 

"You're not planning on leaving us out, are you?" Rika remarked as she and Takato stepped in, their Digimon by their sides. 

"Jeri's our friend as much as she is yours. And, since Calumon isn't anywhere to be found, he's had to have been captured too. Wherever you and Calumon are at, Jeri, we'll find you...together, as a team!" Takato added in. Henry couldn't help but smile broadly at his response.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: Why I never walked away, why I played myself this way 

Now I see your testing me pushes me away! 

Why I never walked away, why I played myself this way 

Now I see your testing me pushes me away! Pushes me away...! (song ends on chords)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Don't worry, Jeri: I'll find you and with Takato and Rika's help, I'll bring you and Calumon home...I promise." Henry made a silent vow at that second under the blazing sun. 

One last mission! Can the Tamer team band together against the unknown D-Reaper and save Jeri and Calumon? And once they do, can Henry have the courage to tell Jeri the truth and recapture her heart? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	10. Chapter IX: Enter Grani!

Me: Well, well, well-another Saturday has swooped upon us like a hawk! Hopefully, Takato has learned his lesson after last week's beating? 

Takato: (sighs) Please don't remind me! 

Me: In any rate, I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "Only Goodbye Knew" from Megchan's site. (eyes Takato with a knowing look) You and I both know Jeri's talking about Leomon in this, but since the Champion Digimon's back in our ranks, who could she be talking about? 

Rika: Like you don't know! 

Me: (holds back a scream) One of these days, one of these days...POW! BOOM! Straight to the moon! 

Takato: Uh...what are you talking about? 

Me: (groans) Never mind-it's waaaaaaay before your time. To fellow Rukato fan Flamegaruru, nothing you say could ever offend me; Frozen Phoenix- 

Terriermon: Let me! I'll take over from here! DC thanks you for mentioning what really happened to Jeri's mother and he wants you to know he's made the necessary changes to the previous chapter. By the way, he's also gonna use some sayings from "The Simpsons." 

Henry: Terriermon?! 

Me: Yeah-what he said. Onward to the chapter!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter IX-Enter Grani!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Bart...how would you like to do something incredibly noble?" -Sideshow Bob 

"Do we have to?" -Bart Simpson 

"Yes." -Sideshow Bob, The Simpsons   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


After his time traveling experience, you'd think Takato would get some time off to himself, but a Tamer's work is never done! While Leomon scours the Digital World to see how everything has prospered, Henry does something brain-dead and breaks up with Jeri! Once Takato catches wind of it, he nearly goes postal and explains why Jeri's the way she is-from her mother's death to today. When Henry overhears it, Takato actually punches his friend and to his surprise, a fight didn't break out. That's probably because Jeri and Calumon ended up being kidnapped by the D-Reaper! Now the Tamers have to band together for one final mission-to save their friends and stop one of their most toughest opponents ever!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The wind blows, the rain falls on every day I think of you 

I can't believe I think of you more now than when we were together! 

Gazing at the stars, singing a song... 

Are such fun things really so difficult I can't do them alone?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Feeling the sadness beat even more on her broken heart, Jeri simply sat in her bubble-like prison with Calumon attempting to get her to talk to him. 

"Aw...come on, Jeri! I can't stand to see you so sad. When you get sad, I get sad..." The In-Training Digimon wiped some tears away to prove his point. Forcing a tiny smile on her face, Jeri turned around and picked Calumon up gently. 

"It's not your fault, Calumon. None of this is. Even though he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore, I can't help but see him...how brave he was while helping me try to get over Leomon's death, everytime he would sneak out of his parents' house these past few nights and together, we would watch the stars, which seem so different than the ones back in the Digital World. Why can't he just be with me, despite what his parents say about us?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I can't see it, but I believe in what lies beyond the deep, deep sadness...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"...and that's pretty much what happened." Takato concluded grimly to Kazu and Kenta later on that afternoon back at Guilmon's hideaway. Only half-listening, Henry brooded by himself while remembering the harsh words he'd said to Jeri to break her heart... 

"I can't see you anymore. It's not you, Jeri-not at all, please don't believe that. It's me. Actually, my parents. They can understand the whole Digimon thing, they've accepted it. What they don't accept is me being in a relationship with someone I go to school with now, since I'm so far behind in my studies. I'm sorry, Jeri. Maybe in another few years, after everything's quieted down...?" 

"So your tellin' us that Romeo Jr. over here slipped up and dumped the second Juliet because he was too chicken to face her father, and that's why she and Calumon were taken?" Kazu spoke up. Angered, Leomon glared at the Tamer while narrowing his eyes downward. 

"It's only natural that Henry would feel a lapse of fear! Facing one's elder-such as Jeri's-takes a great deal of courage, and after we've saved Jeri, he should have enough of that remaining." 

"That's the big question-what's happened with Jeri and Calumon in the first place?" Rika asked calmly. 

"Wasn't there a surge of electricity where the two of them were captured at?" 

Eyeing Renamon with a calculated look, Henry snapped himself out of his depression and nodded in agreement. 

"That makes sense! Whatever that thing was that took Jeri and Calumon had to have come from somewhere, right? So, all we have to do is use a strong enough power source to open whatever's on the other side of those bolts of energy!" 

"Excellent assessment, Mr. Wong. I think your father and his team of 'Monster Makers' have just what you need for this second and final rescue mission." 

Raising their eyebrows as if they'd been trained since childbirth to do so, Takato, Rika, Henry, Kazu, Kenta and the Digimon all turned to see Yamaki, their former adversary now assistant in helping them safeguard the Digital and the Real Worlds. 

"What are you talking about, sir?" Takato managed to ask. 

"Ever since you kids have returned from the Digital World, your friend's father and his cohorts have secretly been creating something that should assist you and your partner-" at that response, Yamaki pointed directly at Takato and Guilmon before continuing. "-in handling enemy Digimon, and from what you just told your friends, you'll be needing it earlier than expected." 

"Cool!" Takato grinned wickedly at Rika before seeing Yamaki turn and leave. "So, what is it?" 

"You'll find out when you arrive at the Hypnos building later on today."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I miss you, but I can't see you! 

But it's sad to think that's the end-after all, we finally met 

The tenderness I received from you is still right here in my heart 

I'll give it to someone-that precious thing which goodbye brought   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


While crossing between worlds-the Real World and a completely different realm-Jeri reflected on how her relationship with Henry had began, whereas Calumon was wondering where they were being taken to. 

"The only reason I started seeing him like that was because Takato has let his anger completely take over which resulted in Megidramon showing up-twice, as I recall! He was sweet, understanding, caring and compassionate. I didn't even get a chance to tell him what I thought about the whole thing!" 

"Maybe you'll get a chance to try and help me figure out where we're at!" Calumon exclaimed while hiding in Jeri's lap! 

"Huh?" Confused, the young Tamer looked up and realized that they weren't in the Digital World at all! 

"Where are we?" 

"That's what I just asked you, Jeri!" 

"Your final resting place, Catalyst!" a voice boomed out from what seemed like an abyss. Worried, Jeri and Calumon stood up from within their protective bubble and found themselves being glared at by dark red eyes that seemed twice as dangerous as Daemon's ever could! That wasn't the tip of the iceberg, however-those eyes bobbed up and down as the figure started laughing evilly, his voice carrying past them and resounding all around them. Trembling with fear, Jeri eyed her Digivice before she remembered that Leomon was supposedly in the Digital World. Knowing he wouldn't hear, she called out the one name of the person who'd she'd given her heart to long ago. 

"HENRY!!!!!!!!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Flowers bloom, rainbows appear, the small changes in each day; if I could go on noticing them, surely my smile would return 

Even though I can't hear it, it resounds-your voice, as it yells from far, far away...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Huh?" As the three Tamers were making their way to the Hypnos building-Kazu and Kenta had to go and retrieve Susie from Henry's house, much to his chagrin-Terriermon eyed his Tamer with a look of amazement the second his head snapped up. 

"What's wrong, Henry?" 

"It's nothing, but..." 

"What is it?" Leomon asked calmly, his voice still slightly spooking Takato a bit. 

"I thought I heard Jeri, like she was in trouble." 

"That must be the connection the two of you have." Renamon suggested. 

"That's just great! These two get to hear each other from great distances, and what do Gogglehead and I get-we get to feel each other's pain whenever one of us gets hurt!" Rika ranted sarcastically, though she wouldn't trade what she had with Takato for anything, and he knew that. 

"Different people have different types of links, Rika-" 

Whatever Renamon would've said after that was broken by Guilmon's low growl as his eyes dilated a second later. 

"What is it, boy?" 

"Something's coming, Takato...it could be a Digimon, but then again, it couldn't." The Virus-type was preparing himself for anything that would show to threaten his Tamer. 

"When did Dinoboy start talking in riddles?" Rika repressed a laugh while eyeing her boyfriend with a quizzical look. 

"Don't look at me-probably because he's been hanging out with either Calumon or Terriermon for too long-though, I'd settle for the latter." 

"Guys-enough flirting, 'cause we got company!" Terriermon yelled out. 

The Tamers all quickly looked up to see hordes of Digimon suddenly appear from nowhere! 

"Whoa! Who are these guys?!" Takato exclaimed. Managing to remain calm, Rika pulled out her Digivice with one hand and massaged Takato's shoulder with the other. 

"What's wrong with this thing? The last time it wouldn't give me any data was against the Devas!" 

"You're saying these things aren't Digimon?" 

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean we can't fight them!" Rika replied while pulling out a Modify card. 

"Can't argue with you there." Takato smiled while reaching for his own Digivice and a Modify card. 

Digimodify! 

"Digimodify!" Takato and Rika chorused. "Digivolution, activate!" 

"Guilmon Digivolve to..." 

"Renamon Digivolve to..." 

"GROWLMON!!!/KYUBIMON!!!" 

"Henry, get out of here! We'll hold them off." Takato advised. 

"On second thought, why don't you get out of here, and we'll hold 'em off?" Terriermon retorted while leaping off of Henry's shoulder. 

"What-me? Why me?" 

"Because Yamaki said that thing my dad and his friends made was for you and Guilmon! Trust me-we'll cover you!" 

"PyroBlaster!!" Instantly, Growlmon's main attack deleted most of the Digimon, but more appeared in their place! 

"Dragon Wheel!!" 

"Fist of the Beast King!!" 

"Terrier Tornado!!" 

Rika gritted her teeth angrily while slowly backing up beside Takato. "This isn't getting us anywhere! No matter how many of them we beat, more of them are gonna show up from wherever they're at!" 

"Well, I've never suggested this before, but running for Hypnos seems like a good idea right now." Takato noted. 

"And leave these guys to wreak havoc on this part of Shinjuku?" 

"I really don't think that'll be a problem, Rika." Terriermon cautioned while backing up. 

"And what makes you say that?" 

"'Cause they're gonna attack us!" 

Seconds later, the Digimon were blasted backward to the ground by numerous streams of power! Takato held in his breath as he felt Growlmon's injuries slowly escalate to extreme pain! From Rika's silent cries, he knew that for some reason unknown to either one of them that their link had been reactivated. 

"How...can this happen now, after all this time?" Takato gasped out. 

"No time to figure this out now, you two-I think your first idea was a good one, Takato!" Henry insisted while picking Terriermon up and, with Leomon, raced off. 

"Oh, sure-after we've gotten our butts kicked by the unknown enemy-now we can run away!" Takato griped impatiently as he grabbed Rika's hand and pulled her away, making sure that Growlmon and Kyubimon were hot on their heels!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I miss you, but I can't see you! 

I want to remember the loneliness I embraced and how to look straightforwardly 

The courage I learned from you is still right here in my heart 

I'll live more strongly-that precious thing which goodbye brought 

That wonderful thing which only goodbye knew...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Jeri choked away her fear and remembered how brave she'd been against multiple foes during her time back in the Digital World, as well as her attack against Beelzemon and Takato's clone! 

"If it wasn't for Henry, as well as Rika and Kazu, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have today. And, I can't forget that Takato's helped out too. Even though Leomon isn't here with me now, I can still try my best to fight! The only problem is, I don't have my partner here to fight with me." Jeri's thoughts were broken as the mysterious being laughed even harder than he had before! 

"You honestly think you can best me without your partner here to assist you?! You must be joking! Allow me to introduce myself: I am known to your world as..."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"...The D-Reaper. It's a being of data that was supposed to assist us in eradicating data that didn't belong within places, and eventually, it possibly ended up in the Digital World-or beyond it, if what you're telling me is correct, son." 

"Uh-huh." Henry nodded while, with the other Tamers fast on his tracks, raced toward the Hypnos building as fast as they could. "Anything else?" 

"Apparently, the D-Reaper is attempting to breach the barrier between our worlds-between the realm he's trapped in and our world." 

Pulling Takato up to where Henry was at, an irritated Rika yanked the comlink out of Henry's hand and spoke civilly to his father. "And how'd you get all this information? Did he send you guys an e-mail or-?" 

"Actually, he did." 

To be blunt, that shut Rika up within seconds! 

"What?! But-how?" 

"No more time to talk, guys. If what I'm reading on this screen is correct, those beings behind you are going to overtake you within minutes, if not seconds! Figure out a faster route to get here!" 

"Any bright ideas, Gogglehead?" Rika asked with a grim look on her face. 

"We could surrender, but I don't think these guys take prisoners. Ooh-I've got it! Use this, Rika, and I'll use this! Henry-get on!" 

Pulling Henry and Terriermon on top of Growlmon's back, Takato and Rika each swiped a Modify card once again. 

"Digimodify!" 

"Hyper Wings, activate!" Takato demanded. Instantly, a pair of wings appeared on Growlmon's back and the Tamer scrambled on as he took to the skies. 

"Hyper Speed, activate!" Rika yelled. The second she jumped onto Kyubimon's back, the two of them shot off like a light. Grinning at the ingenuity of Takato's plan, Leomon leaped forward, pacing himself and, along with the others, made it to the Hypnos building in time. The second they got there, Growlmon and Kyubimon deDigivolved back to their Rookie forms. 

"Guess we should've fed them before we left." Takato remarked with a weak laugh. 

"This isn't a laughing matter, Takato." Rika warned, and he knew she was right. A second or so later, the mysterious Digimon surrounded them! 

"Quick-get inside the door!" Takato yelled while pushing Rika, Henry and the others inside. 

"Takato, don't!" Henry insisted. 

"Takato, no!" Guilmon pleaded. 

"You can't take these things on yourself!" Rika objected, struggling against his hold. "Even with that Sword of yours, you wouldn't stand much of a chance!" 

Not even trying to hide the sadness or the disappointment from his eyes, Takato whispered sadly, "You just have to trust me, Rika...just like I did inside that lava pit in the Digital World." 

Before Rika could protest further, Takato found a lock on the door-on the outside-and locked his friends inside! 

"I can do this." Takato declared while stepping forward and preparing to face his destiny. To his surprise, he-and the others-ended up on top of trapdoors that were activated the second Takato locked the Tamers and the Digimon inside. Screaming, they all went spiraling down a deep, dark hole that ended under the Hypnos building! 

"The next time you keep me from helping you..." Rika advised, locking her eyes onto Takato's brown ones. "...the enemy won't be the only one who feels my wrath! Got it?" 

Matching Rika's glare with one of his own, Takato stared defiantly back at her, which amazed and startled her at the same time. "That's the last time I try to help my girlfriend out of a jam." 

They both knew he was kidding, but Takato and Rika almost looked as if they wanted to start something, so Yamaki chose that time to interrupt them. 

"Sorry about the secret compartments, but you can never be too careful. Matsuki, Tamers, fellow Digimon..." 

Looking over to their far left, Takato, Rika, Henry, Guilmon, Renamon, Terriermon and Leomon found themselves staring at what looked like a metallic dragon that had jet-propulsion as well as wings. The second Takato looked at it, it let out a terrifying shriek of recognition and a dedication to help in anyway possible. 

"...meet Grani." 

Well! What do you know? The Tamers get to finally meet the creature/Digimon made by the Monster Makers. Can Grani truly help the Tamers get to the D-Reaper's realm and save Jeri and Calumon? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	11. Chapter X: Gallantmon (and Grani) V.S. J...

Me: And so, another weekend comes to a glorious close-not only have I gotten to see "The Scorpion King," but there was definite Rukato in Saturday's episode. I don't own Digimon, by the way. 

Takato: (blushes) Uh...what are you talking about? 

Me: (grins) Don't try to deny it, pal-you were admiring Rika's shirt, weren't you? 

Takato: (blushes even harder) Well, I... 

Me: And you said you had feelings for Jeri-what is this I see, hmm? 

Rika: He loves me and doesn't even know it yet-but he will soon enough. 

Me: And on this note of happiness, we are off to the next installment in this story!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter X-Gallantmon (and Grani) V.S. Justimon   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"The jacket is coming off!" -Takato Matsuki 

"All right, boys-playtime's over!" -Rika Nonaka   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


While Jeri and Calumon meet the D-Reaper firsthand, the other Tamers end up running into his army of "Digimon!" After a lengthy battle, they're forced to retreat toward the Hypnos building where Yamaki told them the group of "Monster Makers" had created a secret weapon designed to help the team out in order to save Jeri and Calumon. Luckily for them, they make it there in time to meet the latest Digimon/partner-Grani! Hope this guy has plenty of firepower on his arsenal!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


In awe, Takato and the Tamers unconsciously stepped forward toward the Digimon/machine. The Digimon, on the other hand, were more wary of Grani, however. 

"It's okay, boy-hopefully, Grani's gonna help us save Jeri and Calumon from the D-Reaper and it'll be over before we know it." Takato insisted calmly. 

"If you say so, Takato." 

Not even knowing if this would work, Rika pulled out her Digivice and scanned it. 

"Humph! Figured this piece of junk wouldn't work-hey, I've got something! Grani-a Digimon/machine who, so far, has only one known attack: Yuggoth Blaster." 

"Talk about convenient, huh, Henry? With this guy on our side, we'll take the D-Reaper down, one-two-three!" 

"Terriermon..." Henry eyed his partner with a knowing look, but he couldn't help but agree with his assessment of the situation. 

"Go on, Matsuki-give it a try." 

Feeling slightly nervous, Takato inched his way toward Grani, who, apparently, awaited his orders. 

"Uh...what do I do?" 

Smiling faintly, Henry's father stepped in and advised, "First things first-you'll have to Biomerge if you're going to get Grani to listen to you, even though he respects you enough as you are. Then, you can take him out for a little test run-it should be perfectly safe." 

"'A little test run?' There really isn't a good place for us to pull off this 'test run' idea!" Rika snapped. 

"Rika? The whole point of me Biomerging is so that Guilmon and I can do this 'test run'-alone?" Takato replied with a weak grin. 

Rika humphed in response while turning away, obviously irritated by the whole thing, but only Renamon and Takato saw how she truly felt. 

"Ready, Guilmon?" 

"Ready, Takatomon!" 

Sighing, the Tamer pulled out his Digivice a moment later. 

Biomerge Digivolution! 

"Biomerge, activate!" Takato yelled while transforming into data and merging with Guilmon. 

"Guilmon Biomerge to...GALLANTMON!!!" 

Instantly, the Mega Digimon leaped upward in the air and landed gracefully onto the Digimon/machine, which rose up a second later. 

"Yuggoth Blaster!!" 

BLAM!!! The Tamers had to dive toward the ground once Grani's main attack blasted the wall to pieces. 

"Don't wait up for us!" Takato's voice rang out in a joking tone as they flew out into the sky, Yamaki hiding a grin of satisfaction. 

"Excellent-true, it will cost us to pay for the wall, but I'm sure it will be worth it. Janyuu, is the camera set up?" 

Nodding, Henry's father pointed towards a monitor on the wall that hadn't been blasted and the remaining Tamers and the Digimon looked toward it. 

"With this monitor and the tiny camera we've set up inside Grani, we can observe the first test run and see if there are any flaws or design specs we'll need to work on." 

"'Design specs?' Like what?" Rika demanded, her impatience and worry shone clearly through her eyes. 

"Defects in the jet propulsion, a wobbly wing, minor stuff." 

Forcing herself to bite back a scathing retort that would probably insult both Henry and his father, Rika silently fumed while staring up at the monitor, her eyes betraying the worry she felt for Takato out there on his own without her there to watch out for him. 

"If any Digimon, or the D-Reaper, tries to take him on, they'd better watch out for me!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Woo-hoooo!" Gallantmon was having the time of his life-at least, Takato was. Guilmon, on the other hand, was scared out of his wits! 

"Takato, how do you stop this crazy thing?!" 

"Like I know what to say to it? Just relax and enjoy the ride, Guilmon-whoa! Stop, Grani!" 

Almost immediately, Grani halted as Gallantmon was surrounded by the same number of Digimon that had ambushed the Tamers earlier! 

"Now what do we do, Takato?" 

Grinning while inside his sphere, Takato replied, "That's easy, boy-we attack these things, together!" 

"Lightning Joust!!" Gallantmon demanded. The powerful attack wiped out over half the invading army, but more still showed up! 

"I'm almost wishing Rika had come with us after all, Guilmon."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Unbeknownst to Gallantmon, or to any of the Tamers, a camera crew had shown up near downtown Shinjuku and was taping the event live! 

"What-Monodramon, isn't that Takato?" 

Narrowing his eyes, Ryo Akiyama turned up the volume concerning the "multiple hordes of creatures seemingly appearing from out of nowhere and were attacking a bigger monster atop of a dragon-like machine." 

"That sounds like Takato to me, and it looks like in his Mega form, he's got another partner. Since it doesn't look like Rika's there to help, let's get down there as fast as we can!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"What do you mean we can't get down there to help?! He needs me-us to help him right now!" Rika ranted heatedly, struggling against Henry and Renamon's hold as she glared at Yamaki. 

"I tried. Since there's already a camera crew down there taping this, the entire area is being cordoned off-or, at least half of the area is, anyway." 

"So what you're saying is that Takato's 'out of the frying pan, and into the fire,' right?" 

"Terriermon!" 

"Not exactly-he's got Grani to assist him." 

Finally pulling away from Renamon and Henry, Rika eyed Janyuu with a look of hope in her violet eyes. "Now what?" 

"Just hope that they pull through this."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Gallantmon had jumped off of Grani the second he had a spare chance to do so! 

"Shield of the Just!!" 

"Yuggoth Blaster!!" 

Together, the two were a formidable team, but it didn't matter how many of these things were beaten-the more that were defeated, they just kept coming back in doubles! One of Grani's attacks destroyed the camera taping the live event-possibly by accident. 

"There they are, Monodramon! Let's just hope this works." Holding up his Digivice to the sky, Ryo waited patiently until it glowed brighter than it ever had before. 

Biomerge Digivolution! 

"Biomerge, activate!" Ryo demanded while changing into data and Biomerging with Monodramon. 

"Monodramon Biomerge to...JUSTIMON!!!" 

"Well, it's been real, Grani. Had a lot of fun while it lasted." Takato cracked, trying to lighten the mood up even as they were surrounded by the D-Reaper's forces. 

"Justice Kick!!" 

In shock, over more than half of the D-Reaper's army of "Digimon" were deleted! 

"Who's that?!" 

"Trinity Arm!!" 

As Gallantmon and Grani waited, a Mega Digimon appeared amidst the destruction and chaos, a supposedly wicked grin on his face.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"That's Ryo...I know it!" 

"Hey-I thought you were supposed to be with Takato, not subconsciously stabbing him in the back!" Terriermon objected irritably. 

"I am with Takato! I can just tell, okay? That's Cyberdramon's Mega form!" 

Pulling out his Digivice, Henry couldn't disagree with her on that point. 

"Justimon: Mega level Digimon! His Trinity Arm, Accel Arm, Critical Arm and Justice Kick attacks prove that any enemy Digimon will get the point across." 

"Hmm-it seems we have another Digimon to add to your team of Megas." Yamaki muttered calmly. 

"Hey-did you guys put in a comlink with that machine-like Digimon?" Rika spoke up. 

"Yeah, but it hasn't been tested yet-" 

"Then just call me your first and last guinea pig!" Rika headed over to a console and pressed some buttons. Instantly, a tiny microphone appeared in front of her, so she just grabbed it and turned on the communications systems.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Gogglehead, can you hear me?" 

"Huh? Rika-is that you?" 

Rolling her eyes, Rika retorted, "No, it's Jeri, in disguise. Of course it's me! Did those things hurt you?" 

"No, not at all, though my pride might need some mending thanks to this new Digimon who popped in and pulled me and Grani out of a jam." 

Turning away from his metallic partner, Gallantmon found himself staring at Justimon, a confident look on his face-at least, on Ryo's face, but since he was inside his own sphere, Takato couldn't really tell. 

"So, Rika, what do I get now that I've not only saved you twice from impending disaster, but your boyfriend as well?" 

"Lightning Joust!!" Angered and extremely jealous by that remark, Gallantmon fired full power at that second, striking Justimon and sending him flying backward into a building! 

"The next time you ever think about asking Rika for something, it'll be over my dead body!" Takato's voice rang out loud and clear. 

Forcing a growl back, Justimon spoke with the voices of Ryo and Cyberdramon. "I can arrange that. Accel Arm!!" 

WHAM! Gallantmon was pushed back, but wasn't seriously injured. Knowing that since he could feel this pain, Takato could only assume that Rika felt it, too. 

"Grani...I need your help, please." 

Shrieking loudly, Grani waited until Gallantmon got onto his back, then flew back into the air. "Yuggoth Blaster!!" 

Justimon grunted as he felt the extremity of that attack. "Nice-for a toy." 

Roaring with pure anger, Grani powered up before sending an even more powerful attack directly aimed at the Mega Digimon. "Yuggoth Blaster!!" 

BLAM!! Justimon almost screamed as he was forced to his knees. 

"Shield of the Just!!" 

Regaining himself, Justimon got back up and powered up his final attack. "Critical Arm!!" 

Moments later, the two attacks were launched and were sent flying directly at the other...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"There's something weird going on, and it isn't just 'cause the kid wanted me to help out with Daemon. Whatever this is, Daemon could just be considered cat food compared to whatever those kids and their Digimon are facing! Wonder if they'll need my help." Beelzemon considered this before shooting toward the barrier separating the Digital World and the Real World as fast as possible.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


WHAM! Gallantmon and Justimon screamed in agony as the two of them were forced back to the ground, both Tamer and Digimon in extreme pain. 

"Okay, you two-stop this fighting now!" To Takato's surprise-as well as Ryo's-Rika had yelled that. 

"Rika...why?" 

Sighing deeply back at the Hypnos building, Rika stared at Gallantmon before responding. "As much as I would love to see the two of you duke it out to see which Digimon is the strongest, having the two of you battling-in the middle of Shinjuku, no less-is pointless! Sounds shocking, coming from me, I know-I still can't believe I'm saying this! Takato, no matter what happens, good or bad, I will always love you-even if these fights you somehow get yourself involved in costs me an iota of pain. Nothing will ever happen between me and Mr. Confidentiality over there. Speaking of which, who said I was gonna give you anything in the first place? Gogglehead was just caught off guard by those things-we can't really call them Digimon, since they were minions of the D-Reaper." 

Takato blushed heavily while inside his sphere. Ryo, on the other hand, was confused, and it wasn't about the thing with Rika. 

"The D-Reaper? Want to fill me in on this, Takato?" 

"Maybe later. Why don't we just-?" 

Whatever Takato was gonna say next was interrupted as more of the D-Reaper's hordes ambushed them from behind! 

"What's that?!" 

"Huh?" Turning, the entire team of Tamers, their Digimon and even Yamaki and Janyuu all saw that blob that had first appeared when Jeri and Calumon were kidnapped-it had grown so big, it overlapped the buildings! 

"Wow. Talk about eating the right kinds of foods, right, Takato?" 

"Guilmon!" 

The hordes didn't try to attack the Mega Digimon-they simply surrounded Gallantmon and, by using their combined strength, encased him inside a big bubble! 

"Hey-let us out of here!" 

"Takato, get out of there!" Rika yelled out. 

"What do you think I'm trying to do?! Lightning Joust!!" The attack struck its target, but nothing happened! Seconds later, Gallantmon disappeared entirely, bolts of electricity left in the wake of the D-Reaper's minions. 

"Grani, please, get in there and find Takato!" Hearing Rika's response as a momentary plea for help, the metallic Digimon roared before vanishing inside after Gallantmon! 

Well, at least the battle against Gallantmon and Justimon was enjoyable, huh? Can Grani pull through for Rika and save Takato? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	12. Chapter XI: Rika's Personal Battle

Me: Okay, ladies and gents-this is one of the chapters that we've been dying to hear about in two ways-one, when the Tamers all finally meet the infamous D-Reaper; two, when Rika finally goes up against an old foe! I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "By Myself" by Linkin Park. 

Takato: WHAT?! Are you serious? 

Me: Yeah-what's wrong? You'll have Guilmon and Grani by your side, don't you? 

Takato: I knew this would come up eventually, but I was kinda hoping that, you know, that Rika and maybe even Henry would be there when we got to take on the D-Reaper, you know? 

Me: (grins) You just wanna keep Rika safe from any harm, and away from Ryo's grasp. Don't hide it! 

Takato: (blushes) Okay, you've got a point! Is that so wrong, to want my girlfriend safe from harm's way and away from a Tamer who's bested her-been the only one to beat her, mind you-in the card game! 

Me: No, but with you, it's special and personal. By the way, like the previous chapter, this chapter's quotes will be from the episode titled "Reunion." 

Takato: Great-twice as much fun. 

Me: (smirks) Not that particular quote, of course.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter XI-Rika's Personal Battle   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Well, what?" -Rika Nonaka 

"Oh, nothing. (thinks) Just keep walking, pretend she's not staring at you, and keep quiet! (speaks toward Rika) I just wanted to say that that shirt looks good. (thinks) Oh, great job of keeping quiet!" -Takato Matsuki 

(thinks) "Just keep walking." -Henry Wong   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


And we were hoping with Grani on the team, things would go smoothly for the Tamers, right? Not! Now it seems like things have gone from bad to worse. While out on a so-called "test run," Gallantmon and Grani were ambushed by the D-Reaper's forces and no matter how many times they were beaten back, even more appeared from wherever they were coming from! In the end, it took Ryo Biomerging with Monodramon to form Justimon to save Takato from this predicament. Problem is, Takato's jealous side overrode his normal senses and he started a fight with Ryo right in the middle of Shinjuku! To the guys' surprise, Rika broke up the fight and told both Tamers off in different ways. They should've talked on the way back to Hypnos, 'cause not only were they ambushed again by the D-Reaper's Agents, but Gallantmon was captured as well! Can Grani and the Tamers save Takato and Guilmon from the D-Reaper's clutches? We'll find out together!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Helpless while being trapped in their own personal bubble, Jeri and Calumon could do nothing but sit by and wait for help to arrive. Still shrouded in darkness, the D-Reaper chuckled evilly to himself as a dark aura suddenly seemed to grow somewhat brighter in front of the two captives. 

"It has begun...soon, I will have enough power to break free and begin my reign upon all worlds!" 

"What are you talking about?" Jeri demanded. She may have been scared, but she was also angry at being captured and held as a hostage at the same time! 

"My minions. I call them the Agents of the D-Reaper, or ADR, if you prefer. Of course, your 'friends' wouldn't have any knowledge of this, would they? They would just think them to be Digimon when, in fact, they're the stumbling block that shall free me from my realm and grant me enough power to start over once more!" 

"Huh?" Calumon had a quizzical look on his face, like he normally did when he rarely understood what was going on around him. 

"Let me put it to you in a simpler way: Each time I send my Agents through the barriers to your world, your 'friends' attempt to stop them, correct?" Not even waiting for an answer, the D-Reaper continued. "And every time they've disintegrated a significant amount of my Agents, I receive the power that shall make me even more stronger than any number of Mega Digimon sent to attack me! So far, only 8 forces have been exterminated. All I need is two more jolts of dark energy and I shall have enough power to conquer the Digital World and the Real World!" The D-Reaper laughed evilly once more, so loudly that Jeri and Calumon had to cover their ears tightly! 

"He's scary, Jeri! Is there anyway we can get out of here?" 

"I don't know, Calumon. I just hope that the others are on their way here...if they can get here at all."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Trapped within his own bubble, Gallantmon grunted as he struggled to break free again and again, to no avail! Eventually, he deDigivolved back into Takato and Guilmon. Forcing himself back to his feet, Takato started beating at the bubble again. 

"Takatomon, I'm tired! Where are we going?" 

"If I had to venture a guess? Probably to the D-Reaper's world. Why? I have no idea, but I'm not gonna stand around while it happens. Get ready, boy!" 

Narrowing his eyes, Takato pulled out a special Modify card, then swiped it through his Digivice. 

"Digimodify! Sword of Courage, activate!" 

Almost immediately, the Sword of Courage and the scabbard appeared. While hooking the scabbard to his shorts, Takato hefted the Sword in the air. 

"Get ready for what, Takato? Is it time for dinner?" 

"Guilmon, it's not time to eat!" Takato took careful aim, then fired a blast of red and blue beams that struck the bubble, then with a POP! Takato and Guilmon were free a second later! They would've fallen, if Takato hadn't grabbed his partner and been holding onto the Sword tightly. Moments later, Grani appeared alongside them, growling quietly. 

"Hey, Grani! What are you doing here, huh?" 

Responding with his eyes, Takato realized how much a certain Tamer truly cared about him back home. 

"So, Rika sent you in here after me, huh? Guess I shouldn't try to be too jealous of Ryo if she loves me this much. Speaking of which..." 

Sheathing the Sword, Takato reached into his left pocket and pulled out what looked to Guilmon like a tiny, black box. 

"What's this, Takato? Is it time to have a snack before we get home?" 

Grinning as well as blushing, Takato replied, "It's not a snack, Guilmon...what's inside this box decides my future as a Tamer, and as a person. I vow right here, right now, with Guilmon and...Grani as my witnesses, that if something should happen to the Digimon and they have to leave us, when they come back-and I know they will-I'll pull this box back out, give it to Rika and hope for the best."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


What do I do to ignore them behind me? 

Do I follow my instincts blindly? 

Do I hide my pride from these bad dreams and give in to sad thoughts that are maddening? 

Do I sit here and try to stand it, or do I try to catch them red-handed? 

Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Struggling to hide her tears, Rika raced off as fast as she could atop of Kyubimon away from the Hypnos building, remembering the heated argument that had led her to her current predicament-how she was going to save Takato and Guilmon... 

Flashback 

"You can't just blindly go in there without a plan!" 

"Why not? That seems to work for us a lot back in the old days!" 

"That's just because you never worked together with us before-now, things are different-very different!" 

Turning away from Henry, her eyes showing anger, betrayal and worry, Rika's face had a cool demeanor to it as she headed toward the wall that showed the outside world. "Renamon? Let's go." 

"You're not going there alone!" Henry objected irritably, but Rika pulled out her shades and calmly placed them on, ignoring the Tamer while pulling out a Modify card with her other hand. "Digimodify! Digivolution, activate!" 

Digivolution! 

"Renamon Digivolve to...KYUBIMON!!!" 

"We'll be back by nightfall!" Rika yelled out while racing off. Growling under his breath, Henry grabbed a Modify card of his own and prepared to swipe it. A moment later, he was picked up by Leomon with one hand, Terriermon in the other. 

"It would be best if we followed them in secret, though with Renamon's keen sense of hearing, it won't be secret for long." 

End flashback 

Not even having to turn around, Rika knew they were back there, trying to keep out of sight, but keeping them clearly in view. Soon, the two of them reached the middle of Shinjuku, where Ryo and Cyberdramon waited. 

"What kept you? Trying to figure out what cards to use to go in there and save him with? I've already tried-there's no way to breach this barrier-" 

"Then maybe you didn't try hard enough!" Rika yanked her Digivice out again and instantly, it started glowing brightly! Seconds later, she and Renamon vanished inside. 

"Whoa! Guess you really can't keep a good Tamer and her Digimon down." 

"Terriermon!" Henry was already moody thanks to the fight he'd gotten into with Rika, and the last thing he needed to deal with was Terriermon's jokes. Pulling out his Digivice, it glowed with as much intensity as Rika's had. 

"Henwy! Where are you going?" 

Gasping quietly, Henry turned around to see Susie running up with Lopmon at her heels, Kazu, Kenta and their partners by their sides. 

"Susie, I need you to be a good girl and to stay here with Kazu and Kenta, okay?" 

"But, Henwy-" 

"Now wait just a minute there, pal-" Kazu began. 

"No buts! If the D-Reaper finds a way here, we'll need a strong defensive team, and that's where the two of you come in. The both of you can keep Susie out of danger and safe while I go in after Rika-" 

"With me, of course!" Ryo added. 

"-to find Takato and Jeri. Until then, it would be too dangerous for you to be with me, okay?" 

Sniffing quietly, Susie wiped away some tears, then put on a brave face. 

"O-okay." 

"Here's the deal, troops-" Terriermon reached into Henry's pocket with one of his ears, then pulled out the comlink and handed it to Kazu. "-until we come back with our missing general, commander and sergeant, the two of you are to protect Susie, Lopmon and basically, all of Shinjuku from the D-Reaper's vile control. Can you handle your mission? 'Cause if you can't, we can always find new Tamers for Guardromon and MarineAngemon at anytime-" 

"Terriermon!" 

"Just trying to lighten up the doom-and-gloom mood, Henry. Momentai!" 

"You're not goin' in without me!" Looking up, the remaining Tamers and Digimon noticed Beelzemon enter in, looking none the worst for wear. 

"About time you got here! Now listen, we need you to stay here and-" 

"Forget staying here! That kid leader of yours and those others need my help, and I'm not about to just abandon them to whatever's tryin' to come out here and take over! I'm going in with you, and that's that!" 

Sweatdropping heavily, Terriermon scrambled up onto Henry's shoulder. "Fine with us. Henry-it's time to move out!" 

"And away we go!" Henry, Terriermon, Leomon, Ryo, Cyberdramon and Beelzemon went in, but just as the Mega was about to go through, he thought he heard two voices in the distance call out his (former) name. 

"Impmon! Is that you?" 

"We're sorry, Impmon!" 

Growling deep under his throat, Beelzemon announced, "There's something I gotta do first. Make sure that barrier doesn't close!" 

"And just how are we gonna do that?" Kenta griped as it flickered and closed a second later. Walking up to the remainiing bolts of electricity, Susie held up her Digivice and whispered, "Please, Tewwiermon, keep Henwy safe from whatever evil's on the other side..." A few seconds after that, the barrier was reopened fully! 

"Well-guess a little hope does go a long way!" Kazu replied, a smile on his face.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


'Cause I can't hold on when I'm stretched so thin, I make the right moves, but I'm lost within! 

I put on my daily facade, but then, I just end up getting hurt again by myself! (Myself!) 

I ask why, but in my mind I find I can't rely on myself (Myself!) 

I ask why, but in my mind I find I can't rely on myself!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Rika and Renamon-who'd deDigivolved from Kyubimon between worlds-stared in shock at what was before them...nothing but a greenish sky, dead trees and what looked like... 

"The Dark Ocean! That stupid barrier was a 'barrier,' alright-but in between our world and here! Now what do we do?" 

"There isn't much we can do here, Rika, but look around and hope for the best." 

Rika started walking off in one direction, trying to come up with a valid reason as to why the two of them would end up in the Dark Ocean after going through a barrier that should've taken them directly to the D-Reaper's realm. To her surprise, she couldn't come up with anything! 

"What's wrong with me? It's like I was against Ice Devimon-unable to figure out what to do to help out. Even though I had Renamon Digivolve, it took Takato and Guilmon in the end to defeat that icy freak! What if I can't find him? What if...I've lost him forever?" 

"At last, my Tamer...you've returned to me!" 

Quickly turning, Rika and Renamon saw the Fallen Angel Digimon right behind them, his red eyes screaming victory! 

"You!? But-but how?" 

"True, I was defeated in battle and deleted by your 'leader,' but while I roamed the abyss of oblivion, I was approached by one of the D-Reaper's Agents-" 

"Figured you wouldn't be able to pull yourself together." Rika muttered, grinning slightly. 

"-and I was offered a deal: to get my revenge on Matsuki, all I had to do was to have you as my Tamer. Together, he wouldn't dare to attack us!" 

Narrowing her eyes behind her shades, Rika reached for a Modify card that turned blue a second later. "If you're looking for a fight, then I know just the Digimon who can take you out with just one hit!" 

Digimodify! 

"Digimodify! Matrix Digivolution, activate!" 

"Renamon Digivolve to...KYUBIMON!!! Kyubimon Matrix Digivolve to...TAOMON!!!" 

The Ultimate Digimon flew gracefully before Ice Devimon, her eyes narrowed as she focused on her main target. The Champion stared only for a moment before laughing loudly. 

"Did you think I wouldn't get a power boost out of this deal as well? My attacks may be the same, but they're greatly enhanced. Avalanche Claw!!" 

Taomon cried out as she was rained on by dozens of icicles! 

"Look out!" Rika yelled worriedly. 

"Talisman Spell!!" Almost immediately, Taomon and Rika were protected by a shield of energy. 

"Nice, but how long until your shield breaks from the intense fury of my attack?" 

Rika was thinking along those same thoughts. 

"What if Renamon and I are beaten here? Who's gonna be able to help Takato out of his predicament without me there?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: (I can't hold on) to what I want when I'm stretched so thin! 

(It's all too much to take in...) 

(I can't hold on) to anything watching everything spin! 

(With thoughts of failure sinking in...)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Henry, Terriermon, Leomon, Ryo and Cyberdramon gasped in shock and amazement as they found themselves in the heart of the D-Reaper's realm! This place was nothing like their world, the Digital World or the Dark Ocean! Half of the sky was blood-red and the other half was completely shrouded in darkness. 

"So, this is where we're going to find Jeri, Calumon and Takato, huh?" Ryo asked cynically. 

"PyroSphere!!" 

"Or, just maybe, they'll find us." Terriermon responded as, to their surprise, they could fly in this realm quite easily, so they headed in the direction they'd heard Guilmon's voice. 

The Rookie Digimon, Takato and Grani had been ambushed as the three of them were flying toward the barrier, clearly unseeable by anyone unless they were Grani, who could make out the bolts of electric energy flowing in the air. 

"What should we do, Takato?" 

"When the going gets tough...the tough try out a different link. RIKAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Takato screamed. To his disappiontment, Ryo and the others came in view. 

"Just great-I call for Rika, and you show up?!" 

"Uh...no. For some reason, Rika isn't here, and she was right in front of us." 

Takato suddenly gasped out as he felt something clutch at his heart-something extremely cold! 

"Takato!" 

"Takato, are you all right?" Henry asked as he reached out a hand to help Takato up. 

"I...I think I know what happened to Rika...somehow, she's facing Ice Devimon again..." 

"What?! You're joking, right, Takatomon?" Terriermon asked. 

Gritting his teeth, Takato hissed, "Only Ice Devimon could have this kind of ice-cold touch!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Rika screamed in pain as Ice Devimon grabbed her waist and held her tightly in the air, Taomon struggling to get up from her position on the ground. Only minutes after the shield had been put up, Ice Devimon's Avalanche Claw attack had completely shattered the shield, forcing both Tamer and Digimon back! Taomon fired off a Thousand Spells attack, but the Virus-type batted them away, then counteracted with his Frozen Claw, freezing the lower half of Taomon's body, which sent her freefalling to the ground! Rika raced forward in an attempt to free her, but Ice Devimon laughed as he reached down and applied pressure to Rika's body, making sure she felt the coldness of his hand as he lifted her up. 

"Can't...give up...Takato's counting on me...!" Shivering with extreme cold, Rika knew without a doubt that her boyfriend was in the same position she was in.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


If I turn my back, I'm defenseless, and to go blindly seems senseless 

If I hide my pride and let it all go on then they'll take from me till everything is gone 

If I let them go I'll be outdone, but if I try to catch them I'll be outrun 

If I'm killed by the questions like a cancer, then I'll be buried in the silence of the answer by myself (Myself!) 

I ask why, but in my mind I find I can't rely on myself (Myself!) 

I ask why, but in my mind I find I can't rely on myself! 

Chorus: (I can't hold on) to what I want when I'm stretched so thin! 

(It's all too much to take in...) 

(I can't hold on) to anything watching everything spin! 

(With thoughts of failure sinking in...)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato screamed loudly, his wails carrying over toward where the D-Reaper, Jeri and Calumon were at! 

"Takato...he's in trouble!" Jeri gasped. 

"Oh, no! What are we gonna do?" Calumon asked, still huddled into Jeri's lap. 

"At last...The leader of the Tamers has arrived, and now I shall see how powerful he has become!" That said, the D-Reaper moved with the darkness, Jeri and Calumon's bubble moving at the same time.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"R...Rika...I know how powerful you are-I see it in your eyes every single day...You're o-one of the strongest T-Tamers I know...I don't know a lot of strong Tamers..." Takato grinned weakly, but then he felt his right arm grow numb, and it limply dropped to his side. "Y-you can beat this icy jerk without even blinking! How can I help you out of this when...when I can't even ask what I can do to help you?" Takato gasped silently as he ended up in a freefall, falling off of Grani and spiraling downward toward the darkness. Despite the distance between them, Rika heard her boyfriend's plea and even though she herself was nearing death, she fought back! 

"If you w-want me as a T-Tamer, you're gonna have to unfreeze my frozen corpse to do it, 'cause I'm n-not giving up t-that easily!" 

Rika's Digivice was glowing brightly, so brightly, Ice Devimon shrieked as he released his hold on Rika and she safely landed on the ground. 

"Renamon! Are you-?" 

Turning toward her partner, Rika was pleased to see Renamon unhurt, even though she'd deDigivolved again, but after being inside a block of frozen ice, who could blame her? 

"Rika...your hand." 

Confused, Rika looked at her right hand and saw that she was holding a Modify card! Looking at it, the Tamer smiled a broad smile while wiping away some tears. 

"Thanks for believing in me, Gogglehead." 

Digimodify! 

"Digimodify! Daggers of Love, activate!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


How do you think I've lost so much? 

I'm so afraid I'm out of touch... 

How do you expect I will know what to do when all I know is what you tell me to...? 

Don't you (know) I can't tell you how to make it (go!) 

No matter what I do-how hard I (try) I can't seem to convince myself (why!) 

I'm stuck on the outside! 

Don't you (know) I can't tell you how to make it (go!) 

No matter what i do-how hard I (try) I can't seem to convince myself (why!) 

I'm stuck on the outside!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


With a wicked grin, Rika pulled up her latest weapons-a Japanese sai dagger in her right hand, in place of the Modify card that was once there, and in her left hand in place of her Digivice, a sai dagger that looked exactly like the first one had. There was one difference about the two weapons, however-the hilt of the first dagger had red wrapping surrounding it; the second one had blue wrapping around it. Strangely enough, her hair had broken free and was flowing over her shoulders like they would if she had Biomerged with Renamon. (A/N: Imagine you're hearing the music that plays when Rika Biomerges with Renamon now.) 

"How-how could you?!" Ice Devimon was in shock, but he was also furious. 

Starting forward in the air, Rika declared, "In this case, I used not only teamwork to win against you, Ice Devimon, but also love! Since you can't spell it out, I guess I'll have to: love is a strong emotion that does a lot of damage-it causes pain, agony, torment, the list goes on and on...but, at times, it brings you more joy and happiness than you could ever imagine. Now...feel the ultimate power of love combined with the strength of courage!" Holding up the first dagger, bolts of red electric energy flew out from the sharp tips of the dagger and hit the Virus Digimon point-blank! 

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" 

"That's just a small taste of our power." Holding up the second dagger alongside the first, bolts of red and blue energy flew out toward Ice Devimon and struck him in the chest. Seconds later, he was deleted, his data absorbed by Renamon. 

"No matter what happens, I will find you, Takato." Rika wasn't about to give up when she was this close to finding him when suddenly, a barrier appeared in front of her! Smiling broadly, Rika grabbed Renamon by the arm and pulled her into that barrier after her, knowing who would be on the other side waiting for her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: (I can't hold on) to what I want when I'm stretched so thin! 

(It's all too much to take in...) 

(I can't hold on) to anything watching everything spin! 

(With thoughts of failure sinking in...!) 

(I can't hold on) to what I want when I'm stretched so thin! 

(It's all too much to take in...) 

(I can't hold on) to anything watching everything spin! 

(With thoughts of failure sinking...!) (song ends)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato suddenly felt an enormous surge of power from the tip of his toes to the hairs on his head and he knew things between him and Rika had gotten even better than they'd been before! 

"Takato, are you okay?" Henry asked. 

Accepting his help back up, Takato said briefly, "I'll live." 

That's when it happened-bolts of energy lashed around the two of them, and two beings emerged from those bolts-and one of them enveloped Takato in her arms. 

"Rika! Are-are you okay?" 

"Mmm-hmm. Thanks to you." 

Noticing Rika's new weaponry, Henry pulled out his Digivice and scanned them. 

"Whoa. The Daggers of Love: a Hybrid-type weapon that basically work the same way as the Sword of Courage does-flight capability, protection from enemy attacks..." 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah-this is all real neat, Henry, but we've got company!" Terriermon exclaimed as the Tamers were surrounded once more by the ADR's! 

"Just great-here we go again!" Rika spat out as she fired two bursts of electric energy aimed directly at two hordes of the ADR's! At that second, Jeri's voice screamed out loudly, "NOOOOOO!!!!!! Don't destroy them!!!!!" 

"Jeri...!" Henry had tears of joy rolling down his cheeks whereas Leomon was simply relieved to see his Tamer alive and in one piece. 

BLAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMM!! Two gigantic explosions were heard clearly as the remaining hordes of the ADR's were deleted in midair. Rika grinned in victory as she sheathed her daggers on either side-one which changed back to a Modify card safely next to her other cards, the other into her Digivice. 

"Well, how did I do?" 

Personally...you were, and still are, one of the strongest Tamers I know." Takato replied. 

"I'd have to disagree with you on that." 

While the other Digimon were surveying the surrounding area, Terriermon was trying to keep his lunch-and dinner-from exiting his mouth in space! 

"Why? You know any other strong Tamers I don't know about?" 

"Oh, yeah-and he's right in front of me." 

"Just kiss already, would you?!" Terriermon gasped out impatiently. 

"I'm never one to disagree with a Rookie Digimon, so-" 

"Gogglehead, just kiss me." 

Seconds before their lips would've met, they heard it: laughter that sounded like it was coming from all around them! Guilmon's eyes dilated the second the laughter started, Renamon braced herself for anything, Terriermon's eyes narrowed as best as possible, Leomon pulled out his sword and held it in front of him and Cyberdramon growled loudly as the Tamers looked around them, Takato pulling Rika up onto Grani. 

"Okay-who's there? I'm warning you: we're all very experienced Tamers!" 

"Sure-like that response is gonna scare them off, Takato." 

At that second, the bubble containing Jeri and Calumon floated into view! 

"Jeri...are you okay?" Henry barely asked, his eyes filling up with more tears as he remembered the pain he'd brought upon her earlier. 

"I'm fine." 

"And so am I!" Calumon replied, hopping up and down inside the bubble with joy at seeing the others again. 

"Tamers..." 

At that second, the entire team prepared themselves for the worst. A creature that could've resembled a Digimon appeared, but he looked almost human in appearance! The only thing that gave him away were his glowing red eyes as well as his long, scythe-like claws. 

"I thank you all for giving me what I so greatly desired...the power to leave this realm and to reign supreme upon the other existing worlds!" 

"Wait a minute-who the heck are you?" Takato stammered in surprise. 

The D-Reaper chuckled evilly as he stared the entire team of Tamers in the eye. "I am known to your world as...the D-Reaper. But you may call me...Reapermon." 

Uh-oh! The final battle looks like it's gonna come up real soon! Can the Tamers take out Reapermon even though he's at full power? We'll find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	13. Chapter XII: Enter ChaosGallantmon!

Me: And yet, another glorious week draws to a close. I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "A Place For My Head," by Linkin Park. Throughout these final chapters, I'll be using their songs except for the epilogue and the next chapter after this one. 

Takato: And what'll you use for that? And the week's only halfway over with! 

Me: Patience, my young muse, patience. That will be revealed to you when the time is right. 

Rika: Maybe its in this unposted chapter, Gogglehead! (yanks the chapter out of my hand) 

Me: Hey-that isn't the epilogue! Give it back! 

(Rika ignores me and continues skimming through the chapter; stops at certain points) 

Takato: What's in there, anyway? 

Me: (sighs) Probably my epitaph-or at least it will be once she's finished with it. 

(Rika stops reading and gazes at me with a look of what could be considered despair) 

Rika: How could you put this in here at this point of the story? Haven't we been put through enough?! (struggles to hold back a sob) 

Takato: Uh...since I don't like to ruin what's going to happen next-sometimes-I'll just take her word for it. (embraces Rika tightly; rubs her back gently) It'll be okay, Rika. 

Me: Gee, maybe it would've been better if she'd just pummeled me into the ground. 

Takato: By the way, how does this certain song fit in with the upcoming chapter? 

Me: Oh, good-a happier thought! Anyway, it should focus on parts near the end of this chapter, even though the lyrics probably don't fit with the storyline. 

Takato: That's nice to know...I think. 

Me: Okay, now that we've bored all the readers, think we could start the next chapter now? And thanks to D-Reaper who was the 100th reviewer for this story, as well as his sister who was the 99th and 101st reviewer!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter XII-Enter ChaosGallantmon!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"We know so little about it." -Rika Nonaka 

"Yeah...except that it can destroy us all!" -Takato Matsuki   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


After getting into a tough argument with Henry, Rika and Renamon struck off on their own in order to save Takato and Guilmon. Knowing that they couldn't handle this alone, Henry, Terriermon and Leomon headed after them. Once they arrived at the middle of Shinjuku, Rika, as usual, ignored Ryo's protests and, with Renamon, managed to activate the barrier and headed inside after her soul mate. Moments later, Henry, Terriermon, Leomon, Ryo and Cyberdramon went in after them, leaving behind Kazu, Kenta, Susie and their Digimon. Beelzemon would've went in with them, but he knew he had to do something first. Rika ended up in the Dark Ocean where she had to take on an old foe-Ice Devimon! The others made it inside the D-Reaper's realm and went to help Takato take on the remaining Agents the D-Reaper had sent after him. Only problem was that Rika had been caught in a death grip by the Virus-type which left Takato out of the game for a while! Using up the last of his strength, Takato insisted that Rika was one of the strongest Tamers he knew, and Rika heard him. That alone was enough to grant Rika with a new Modify card-the Daggers of Love! Not only did they allow Rika to defeat Ice Devimon, but she and Renamon made it inside the D-Reaper's realm. Now all that's left for the Tamers to do is to save Jeri and Calumon. I'm sure the D-Reaper isn't gonna make that easy for the Tamer team!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Grunting loudly as he landed in front of an old house that seemed too familiar, Beelzemon willed himself to deDigivolve, and where a Mega once stood, a Rookie Digimon was in his place. Impmon looked around, the joy of being home only visible in his eyes. 

"Where are they at? I was sure I heard them calling out to me-" 

"Impmon?" 

Gasping quietly, Impmon turned, barely able to hide his surprise as he looked upward and saw Makoto, one of his two Tamers, coming out from the side of the house. 

"D-did you really mean it? What you said before? Are you guys really sorry for what happened?" Impmon asked calmly. Not even trying to hide his tears, Makoto raced up and hugged the Virus Digimon tightly. 

"Every single word. We were wrong to treat you like one of our toys, and if you come back home, things will be different." 

"Well...there's something I gotta do first, but after that's over and done with, I'm all yours!" 

Eyeing his partner with a calm look, Makoto asked, "What is it?" 

Impmon was about to respond, but he was suddenly lifted up by his other Tamer, Ai, and pulled into a second hug. 

"We're sooooo sorry, Impmon! Please don't ever leave us again!" 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah-I won't leave you two again. But, there's something I have to do-" 

Impmon's rapid explanation was halted as a bright light appeared in front of both Ai and Makoto! 

"It...it can't be!" Impmon gasped in shock. 

A Digivice with a purple circle formed and, reaching out with one hand, Ai grasped it. 

"Guess that means you guys are...my Tamers! That also means that I'm gonna need the two of you to stay here and out of harm's-" 

"No way!" Makoto objected immediately, racing toward the front door as fast as possible. Moments later, he came back out holding a box of what appeared to be Modify cards. 

"We're going with you! Whatever dangers your going to face, your Tamers should be right there by your side." 

"But-" 

"No arguments! Either we all go, or we don't." Ai added, smirking at her brother. 

Nodding in agreement, Impmon looked up at the sky, day having already turned into night here in the Real World. 

"Okay-hold on then!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I watch how the moon sits in the sky in the dark night shining with the light from the sun 

The sun doesn't give life to the moon-assuming the moon's gonna owe it one-makes me think of how you act to me 

You do favors and then rapidly you just turn around and start asking me about things that you want back from me 

I'm sick of the tension, sick of the hunger, sick of you acting like I owe you this-find another place to feed your greed while I find a place to rest!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Reapermon: A Virus-type Digimon, Mega level! His Bone Duster, Grim Slasher and Burning Tornado attacks make this guy even stronger than Daemon!" 

Takato looked up from his Digivice in astonishment. His thoughts mirrored clearly in the others' minds: What if they couldn't defeat him, even with this number of Digimon they had on their side? 

"What do you mean we gave you the power needed to break free from this place?" Rika yelled out, her fear replaced with anger-anger that this guy would capture Jeri, Calumon and even stooped so low as to kidnap Takato! 

"You've destroyed my Agents in the heat of battle-well, not all of them, but that's besides the point. When you destroyed at least ten members of my Agents of the D-Reaper-ADR's if you will-I was granted with the power needed to escape this realm and to conquer your world, the Digital World and even the Dark Ocean!" 

"That's not gonna happen!" Takato growled, his own anxiety gone, replaced with determination. 

Grinning slightly, Reapermon eyed Takato with a humorous look. "I don't think I understand what you're talking about." 

"What he means is this-" Rika stood defiantly alongside Takato, Grani growling low and preparing to fly toward the Mega Digimon in a kamikaze move. "-we're not gonna just sit by and let you take over our world without a fight! If you wanted the Dark Ocean, that makes no never mind to me, since there isn't any life there to sustain anything. The Digital World and our world actually has life there, and if you're gonna breach this barrier, you'll have to do it over our dead bodies!" 

Laughing loudly, Reapermon stared deep into Takato and Rika's eyes. "You honestly don't understand, do you? I want to fight you, to test the limits of your powers. Can you 'humans' and Digimon truly work together as a team and defeat me without blinking? Let's find out! Burning Tornado!!" 

Grabbing their Digivices simultaneously, Takato, Rika, Henry and Ryo flew upward in the air, Cyberdramon taking the time to deDigivolve into Monodramon.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: I want to be in another place-I hate when you say you don't understand! 

(You'll see it's not meant to be!) 

I want to be in the energy, not with the enemy-a place for my head!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Biomerge Digivolution! 

"Biomerge, activate!" Takato, Rika, Henry and Ryo chorused loudly, each Tamer transforming into data and merging with their respective Digimon. 

"Guilmon Biomerge to...GALLANTMON!!!" 

"Renamon Biomerge to...SAKUYAMON!!!" 

"Terriermon Biomerge to...MEGAGARGOMON!!!" 

"Monodramon Biomerge to...JUSTIMON!!!" 

Jeri clapped loudly-and Calumon cheered loudly-as the four Mega Digimon and the one Champion Digimon headed into battle for what could be the last time. 

"Now you'll get to see what it's like when humans and Digimon work together!" Gallantmon declared, flying atop of Grani. "Lightning Joust!!" 

"Yuggoth Blaster!!" 

"Dragon Helix!!" While spinning her staff around, two blue dragons appeared in the air and fired off blue blasts of flame that struck its target precisely! (A/N: I'm not sure if that would happen, but that's an attack from the card game; the other attack will come in shortly) 

"Mega Barrage!!" 

"Justice Kick!!" 

"Fist of the Beast King!!" 

Grunting loudly, Reapermon disappeared within a gigantic explosion, smoke coming from around him. 

"Well, I'd say we showed him the door." 

"Terriermon!" 

Narrowing his eyes from inside his sphere, Takato demanded, "Stay on your guard! This may not be over as quickly as we want it to be." 

"He's right about that one. Hey, Chumly-need anymore help?" 

"Henwy-are you okay?" 

"Kazu? Susie?" MegaGargomon turned to eye Kazu, Kenta and Susie with looks of shock. "What are you guys doing here?! She's supposed to be in the Real World, and so are you!" 

"But they don't have to be." Susie objected, pointing over at Ai and Makoto, who were each perched on Beelzemon's shoulders. 

"Are-are they who I think they are?" Takato stammered. 

"Impmon's Tamers." Renamon replied briefly. 

"You guys just don't get it, do ya? The name's Beelzemon!" 

Laughing loudly, Reapermon broke through the dispersing smoke and revealed himself, without so much as a scratch! 

"Impossible!" Justimon exclaimed. 

"Just like with Daemon, although he actually had an injury to show." Sakuyamon noted. 

"Imp-Beelzemon, why don't you have your Tamers get onto Grani? We can all fly freely here, for some reason-don't ask why, we just can." As Gallantmon leaped gently off of Grani, Ai and Makoto got on, somewhat nervous about getting onto what looked like a thin, metallic dragon, but if their partner wasn't concerned, then neither were they. 

"Time to show you the door, pal! Beelzemon: Blast Mode, activate!" 

Instantly, the Digivice around Ai's neck glowed brightly as Beelzemon seemed to change in appearance! His wings, which were capable of granting him flight, had grown bigger, both of his guns had vanished, replaced with a bigger gun and a look of confidence was in his eyes. 

"Whoa! This is the guy you want at a party. Beelzemon: Blast Mode. Same Virus-type Digimon, but his three main attacks are Chaos Flare, Death Slinger and...Fist of the Beast King? What's up with that?" 

Answering Kazu's question to herself, as well as to Calumon, Jeri whispered, "There still must be some residual data from Leomon inside Impmon." 

"You can say that again!" Calumon piped up.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Maybe someday I'll be just like you and step on people like you do and run away all the people I thought I knew; I remember back then who you were-you used to be calm, used to be strong, used to be generous but you should've known that you'd wear out your welcome, and now you see how quiet it is all alone-I'm so sick of the tension, sick of the hunger, sick of you acting like I owe you this-find another place to feed your greed while I find a place to rest! 

I'm so sick of the tension, sick of the hunger, sick of you acting like I owe you this-find another place to feed your greed while I find a place to rest!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"And you think having more partners and Tamers will change the outcome of this battle? I think not. Bone Duster!!" 

Barely dodging the attack, Grani remembered what his mission was-to protect Takato and Guilmon, but now, his order from Takato was to look after Ai and Makoto. "Yuggoth Blaster!!" 

"Eat this, you wanna-be Digimon! Chaos Flare!!" A gigantic fireball exited the gun Beelzemon was holding and struck Reapermon directly in the chest. 

"Ha! That hardly even tickled. Try this-Burning Tornado!!" 

As a tornado of fire was sent flying toward the Mega Digimon, Ai and Makoto screamed, "Impmon, look out!" 

Swiftly, Beelzemon grinned while avoiding the attack-barely. 

"You're not leaving us out of this! Talisman Sphere!!" A ball of concentrated light appeared in Sakuyamon's arms while her staff remained above her if she needed it. Seconds later, that ball changed into a beam of light that went flying into the air and struck the enemy with precision! 

"Shield of the Just!!" 

"Gargo Missiles!!" 

"Critical Arm!!" 

Eyeing Leomon with a look of respect, Beelzemon knew that he had been wrong to delete the Champion Digimon before. Only by a miracle was he restored to his partner, and they could use teamwork just as good as any human could. 

"Fist of the Beast King!!" Beelzemon and Leomon chorused, the two attacks striking Reapermon on impact! 

"Way to go, team! And you thought we'd get to miss out on Takato and the others kick butt." Kazu said briefly to Kenta. 

"That wasn't me-you said that! That's why we had to follow Beelzemon inside the barrier." 

Chuckling once more, Reapermon still wasn't badly hurt, but there were a few scratch marks on his body. 

"I must admit-together, humans and Digimon make an extraordinary team, but you just don't have what it takes to defeat me. Impmon, you showed promise when you went to work, albeit briefly, with the Devas, but you've gone soft after being with these humans for too long. Maybe I should..." 

"Don't you dare hurt them!" Beelzemon ranted angrily, worried for his Tamers' lives at that second! 

"...yeah, the world would be better off without them Grim Slasher!!" 

Revealing his scythe-like claws, Reapermon flew forward, aiming directly for Ai, Makoto and Grani! Beelzemon knew that he was too far away to effectively fly toward his Tamers, so he just hung there in shock. 

Inside their respective spheres, the Tamers couldn't believe what was going on-why would Beelzemon bring his Tamers here of all places, to put them in danger? One of the Tamers wasn't going to stand by and let Impmon lose his Tamers again! Grunting loudly, Sakuyamon flew as fast as she could and put herself in between Grani and Reapermon! Both Rika and Renamon screamed in agony as the claws sank deeply into their bodies, drawing blood-Rika's blood, even if she was data at this time!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: I want to be in another place-I hate when you say you don't understand! 

(You'll see it's not meant to be!) 

I want to be in the energy, not with the enemy-a place for my head!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Rika...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Takato screamed sadly as Gallantmon deDigivolved into Takato and Guilmon a second after an extremely injured Sakuyamon deDigivolved into Rika and Renamon! Flying as quickly as they could, Takato grabbed Rika tightly around the waist and flew with her safely to where Kazu and the others were at-on top of a rock that, as well as some other rocks, were flying idly by around this realm. Picking up Renamon gently on his shoulders, Guilmon flew over to where Takato and Rika had gone. Justimon, MegaGargomon, Leomon and Grani created a barrier with their own bodies. Beelzemon had flown over to where Takato, Rika, Guilmon and Renamon were at. 

"Why...why would you do that for me, when all I've done is cause you and your partner despair, pain and torment?" Beelzemon croaked out. 

"You weren't always like that...at least, not before this occurred." Renamon gasped out. 

"Renamon, are you okay?" Guilmon asked worriedly. Eyeing one of her worthier opponents with a weak smile, Renamon replied, "I'll live-as long as Rika keeps fighting." 

"Rika...why?" Takato choked back a sob of sadness, feeling the blood run down her shirt and onto his arms. 

"I had to...Impmon didn't deserve to lose his Tamers again, even after what he's gone through. And, he has a softer side, even if he doesn't show it that often." 

Takato started sobbing loudly onto Rika's shirt, the tears mixing with the blood instantly. 

"Don't cry, Gogglehead. At least I went down fighting, right?" 

Remembering what had happened in that alternate future he'd been in so briefly, Takato weakly nodded in agreement. 

"I...I lied to you! I never had a dream about the Sword of Courage, but about you, near death. And, when Daemon attacked, I was sent forward in time, and I had to fight Henry, while you watched from Guilmon's home, hanging like you did in my dream...and, not only did I have to kill Henry, but I...I had to kill you, too!" 

"Shh...that doesn't matter. No matter what happens or will happen, I will always love you...body, mind and spirit." 

Before Takato could respond, Rika pulled him into a passionate kiss, forcing her tongue into his mouth. Not even trying to fight, Takato's tongue wrapped around Rika's remembering that one moment in the future that probably would never happen. Hearing a sigh of satisfaction, Takato pulled away to see Rika, her eyes closed and a peaceful look on her face. 

"No...not again...it can't be!" 

Takato sobbed lightly as the others had to struggle with their own emotions, even Ai and Makoto, who were amazed that Rika and Renamon would do that for their partner. A second later, Takato got up and glared at Reapermon, his eyes narrowed into slits. 

"You've taken Rika away from me...for that, only death shall be your prize, Reapermon! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Takato flew through the air with Guilmon right by his side, his Digivice glowing brightly in his hand.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


You try to take the best of me-go away 

You try to take the best of me-go away 

You try to take the best of me-go away 

You try to take the best of me-GO AWAY! 

YOU TRY TO TAKE THE BEST OF ME-GO AWAY! 

YOU TRY TO TAKE THE BEST OF ME-GO AWAY! 

YOU TRY TO TAKE THE BEST OF ME-GO AWAY! 

YOU TRY TO TAKE THE BEST OF ME-GO AWAY...!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The Tamers all gasped in shock and surprise as Takato and Guilmon floated in the air, then watched as Takato merged with Guilmon like usual. 

"BIOMERGE, ACTIVATE!" 

"Guilmon Biomerge to...CHAOSGALLANTMON!!!" 

In place of Gallantmon stood a powerful Mega Digimon who looked exactly like the Virus-type, but he was completely black! His cape was black as well, hung over his shoulders. The shield didn't contain the symbol of Courage like Gallantmon's did. Takato was inside his own sphere, but it was harnessed with feelings of regret, anger, despair, and most importantly, rage!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: I want to be in another place-I hate when you say you don't understand! 

(You'll see it's not meant to be!) 

I want to be in the energy, not with the enemy-a place for my head! 

I am so sick of the tension, sick of the hunger, sick of you acting like I owe you this-find another place to feed your greed while I find a place to rest! 

I'm so sick of the tension, sick of the hunger, sick of you acting like I owe you this-find another place to feed your greed while I find a place to rest! (song ends)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Moaning quietly, Rika woke up, still feeling the pain from Reapermon's attack and, as the other Tamers and Digimon were doing, found herself staring up at ChaosGallantmon. 

"T-Takato?" 

Speaking in the dual voices of Takato and Guilmon, ChaosGallantmon declared, "Reapermon, you've taken away the one person who could've brought me ultimate happiness, and now, I shall take from you what you so desire-the chance to take over the Real World! JUDECCA PRISON!!" 

BLAM! This one attack of pure fire didn't only strike Reapermon, but it also struck the other Digimon, forcing them to deDigivolve back into their Rookie stages at the same time! 

"Now you shall pay for your crimes against humanity and the world itself! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" 

Uh-oh! Rika'd better get through to Takato as soon as possible, otherwise, ChaosGallantmon might be just as dangerous as Megidramon-maybe even twice as dangerous! Find out what happens next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	14. Chapter XIII: Grani's Sacrifice

Me: As usual, I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "Stand Here With Me," by Creed...uh...(turns and sees only Takato near) What happened to Rika? 

Takato: Well, she got so devastated by what happened before that she's taking a leave of absence until you can fix this whole thing. You're lucky that I'm still here! 

Me: That's just great-her Tameresque attitude is usually the jumpstarter I need to get going! Oh, well-at least I've got her opposite to help me out! 

Takato: (smiles a knowing smile) Mmm-hmm! 

Me: By the way, does anyone know what "Quo Vadis" stands for? It's supposed to be one of Gallantmon: Crimson Mode attacks, by the way.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter XIII-Grani's Sacrifice   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"If the only way to make you believe is to defeat you, then so be it!" -Takato Matsuki 

"Hey, Gogglehead! You weren't thinking of going without me, were you?" -Rika Nonaka   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


And I thought things couldn't get any worse than they already were! True, it was a touching moment when Beelzemon reunited with his Tamers and they received a Digivice, but the battle against the D-Reaper, or Reapermon, was near anticlimactic! Not only did the team hardly injure the Mega Digimon, but they either barely avoided attacks or got hit themselves! Then, when Reapermon used his Grim Slasher attack on Ai and Makoto, Sakuyamon sacrificed herself to ensure the safety of Impmon's partners. Seeing Rika in his arms after avoiding this from occurring again caused Takato to go over the edge and instead of creating Megidramon, ended up Biomerging with Guilmon to form ChaosGallantmon! Man! Now the Tamers have to deal with both the D-Reaper and ChaosGallantmon? I sure hope Rika can snap Takato out of the depression-and darkness-he seems to have fallen into!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The Tamers all watched helplessly alongside their weakened Digimon as ChaosGallantmon started to tear into Reapermon with all his strength! 

"ChaosGallantmon: Virus-type Digimon, Mega level! His Judecca Prison and Demon's Disaster attacks make him even more powerful than Megidramon!" 

"But-but how can that be Takato?" Rika was still struggling to comprehend how this happened in the first place and was able to have Henry wrap her wounds up with the first-aid kit. To her surprise, Ryo answered. 

"Obviously, Takato still has some hidden anger unresolved from some experience he's been through a while ago, and when you apparently 'died,' that anger released itself and boom! ChaosGallantmon was born." 

"The only unresolved issue he could have is from when he was sent forward in time! I've got to get through to him and make him understand." 

Rika's thoughts were broken into when Reapermon was thrown in their direction! 

"Move, guys!" Henry and Ryo chorused, the team barely moving out of the way in time. 

"Just great! So, what are we gonna do? There's no way we can take down Reapermon 'cause Takato's too busy whaling on him, and if we tried fighting ChaosGallantmon, we'd just be shown the door out of here! If only we could Digivolve..." 

"Terriermon, that's it!" Henry looked up at the bubble containing Calumon and Jeri. "All we have to do is free Jeri and Calumon from that bubble. Calumon should have the power we need to have us Biomerge with our partners." 

"You think this'll work, Henry? From here, it doesn't look like Chumly's willing to play tag team." Kazu noted grimly. 

"It's got to..." While looking up at Jeri with a hopeful look in her eyes, Henry whispered, "It's just got to work!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"You've caused enough pain and torture in the Digital World and in the Real World! What did we ever do to you?!" ChaosGallantmon exclaimed angrily. 

"My creators abandoned me within the confines of my own realm! I was 'doing my job,' without any complaints, when I'm suddenly blocked off from reentering the passageway back home. For years, I've spent time in here watching the Digital World and your world evolve and grow piece by piece, bit by bit, microchip by microchip." 

For a moment, Guilmon's innocent nature broke through the anger Takato carried inside. "What's a microchip? Is it a new kind of potato chip?" 

"And so-" Reapermon continued on before Takato could chide his partner. "-I've managed to create my own Agents loyal to me and only me and who are willing to do only what I tell them to do!" 

"Yeah? Well, I've got a friend who's willing to listen to me, too. Grani-attack!" 

Roaring proudly, Grani waited until Ai and Makoto got off his back and then flew toward the Virus Digimon. 

"Yuggoth Blaster!!" 

Reapermon roared in silent agony as this attack made contact, revealing wounds on his body. 

"That's one point for you...but only one! I, on the other hand, have reached three-and we both know how that happened, don't we?" 

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Demon's Disaster!!" Holding up his sword tightly, ChaosGallantmon aimed it directly at the wound Grani made. It sent out a stream of fire that struck Reapermon on impact. 

"Impressive. I can see you're not holding back. But this is still not enough! No matter how high up you try to go, I will always be stronger than you! ADR's, attack the humans!" 

As the ADR's started to attack the other Tamers, Takato's thoughts were only on Rika and his failure to save her. A part of him felt the injury that Rika had taken on the chest earlier, but he soon forgot that. 

"You always gave me the strength within to believe in myself, even when I didn't want to fight, you would always be my shelter if I needed it...and now, you're gone."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


You always reached out to me and helped me believe... 

All those memories we share, I will cherish every one of them! 

The truth of it is there's a right way to live, and you showed me! 

So now you live on in the words of a song...you're a melody!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Don't worry, Jeri-we'll get you and Calumon out of here as soon as possible." Henry insisted calmly, beating at the bubble with his fists again and again, but to no avail. 

"Henry-just let us Digimon handle this. We'll just say you weakened it for us." Terriermon quipped cynically as he, Lopmon and Susie were floating a few meters away from the bubble. 

"Bunny Blast!!" 

"Blazing Ice!!" 

The two attacks flew toward the bubble and hit precisely...then, bounced off and back toward the three of them! 

"Ahhhhh! Duck, Lopmon, Tewwiermon!" Susie cried out while yanking the two Rookies out of harm's way. 

"Whew! Thanks, Susie. I'll never complain about eating broccoli again-or at least until we get back home." Terriermon replied. Lopmon nodded in response. 

"You can say that again." 

"I would, but misery must love company, 'cause those Agents are back!" Terriermon screamed as they were attacked by the remaining ADR's! 

"Blazing Ice!!" 

"Terrier Tornado!!" 

Both attacks bounded off of the approaching ADR's, causing them no fatalities whatsoever! 

"Just great! You mean to tell me we gotta Digivolve to beat these guys?" Terriermon spat out irritably. 

"Maybe...if I could Digivolve." Lopmon replied sadly. 

"Don't give up, Lopmon. There's always hope-Henwy taught me that." Susie insisted calmly. Henry stared at his sister for a few moments before realizing something he should've figured out long ago-she was finally starting to grow up, and she still looked to him for advice. Turning back to the captive Jeri and Calumon, Henry cleared his throat and spoke from the heart. 

"Jeri? This probably isn't the best time to tell you this, but I just can't go on without telling you the truth-I lied to you! I want to continue being with you, and my parents have accepted us being together, as long as you and I don't do...You know." Blushing along with Henry, Jeri simply nodded in agreement and waited for him to finish. 

"Anyway, when you told me what your father said, I got nervous. I don't think I'm strong enough to face him and tell him that we're together..." Henry beat at the bubble once more before allowing the floodgates to open and his tears rolled down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, Jeri! After all this, I guess I'm not as good a Tamer as I thought I was." 

"Don't you even think that, Henry Wong!" Jeri demanded calmly, yet firmly a second later. "You are a good Tamer, and a strong one, too-why else would you have wanted to help Takato when he and Rika were ambushed by Beelzemon back in the Digital World? Why did you try to protect me when Takato let his darkness take over and Megidramon was created? I may have doubts about myself, but I'm not gonna sit here and let you drown yourself in pity any longer. No matter what happens, I'll always love you, and I'll always be with you. And we can talk to my father together." 

"M-mind, body and s-spirit?" Henry stammered, not even seeing his Digivice glowing by his side. 

"Always." Jeri declared, reaching for Henry with outstretched arms. To her surprise, her arms passed through the bubble and enveloped the Tamer in a tight hug. Seconds later, Jeri and Calumon were free! 

"Yay-way to go, guys! Jeri isn't sad anymore and you two are all happy again!" Calumon cheered. 

"Maybe so..." Henry and Jeri focused their attention upward. "...but what about Rika and Takato?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: 'Cause you stand here with me-now...yeah! 

'Cause you stand here with me-now...yeah!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Henwy, what's this?" Confused, both Tamers and Calumon looked down to see Susie holding a blue Modify card in her hand! 

"Aaahhh!" Henry facefaulted in surprise while Jeri and Calumon smiled. "How'd you-where'd you-" 

"Just teach her how to swipe the card, silly." Jeri suggested while heading back over to a joyous Leomon, the In-Training Digimon flying alongside her. 

"O-okay. Susie, to swipe a card, you just say, 'Digimodify,' then with a card like this, you add after that, 'Matrix Digivolution, activate,' got it?" 

"Mmm-hmm!" Eager to please her big brother, Susie swiped the card through her Digivice in one shot. 

"Digimodify! Matwix Digivolution, activate!" 

A second later, Lopmon felt extreme power flow through her as a second Modify card ended up in Henry's deck. 

"Okay, Henry-are we ready to take on the D-Reaper?" 

"You got it, Terriermon! Digimodify! Matrix Digivolution, activate!" 

Matrix Digivolution! 

"Lopmon Matrix Digivolve to..." 

"Terriermon Matrix Digivolve to..." 

"ANTYLAMON!!!/RAPIDMON!!!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


As the two Ultimate Digimon started taking out the remaining ADR's, the others watched ChaosGallantmon and Reapermon from their positions until Rika couldn't take anymore! 

"That's it! I'm not watching Gogglehead fall back into this-this-whatever this is all because I tried to help out a friend. Renamon, we're going to help!" 

"How? You're practically running on empty, since you did get stabbed while being Biomerged." Ryo objected impatiently. "And your still bleeding!" 

Touching the spot on her body where Reapermon's Grim Slasher attack had nearly taken her and Renamon out, Rika hissed under her breath and wondered why Takato hadn't passed out alongside her earlier. 

"He was probably too engulfed in his own grief and anger to even think about the pain, Rika." Hearing Renamon's thoughts break into her own, Rika felt a momentary lapse of anger, but it passed. 

"Still, I can't let him be destroyed in his grief. Let's go!" 

"Hey, guys." 

"Huh-? Jeri, Calumon! You guys are free!" Kenta yelled out excitedly. 

"Bone Duster!!" 

"Judecca Prison!!" 

"Yuggoth Blaster!!" 

WHAM! The three attacks made contact and shook the team off their feet, even though they were flying in the air! 

"What can we do?" Jeri asked worriedly. 

"Just hope that Rika can pierce that gigantic armor Takato's wearing and hope for the best." Kazu spoke up. 

As for ChaosGallantmon, he was furiously lashing out at Reapermon, who was laughing evilly, playing with the infuriated Mega Digimon! 

"You said you wanted to use your full power, so use it!" ChaosGallantmon demanded. 

"As you wish-Tamers, say goodbye to your leader! Burning Tornado!!" 

"Gogglehead, look out!" Suddenly, to Takato's joy and surprise, Rika and Renamon appeared in front of him and the approaching attack. 

"Rika...NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Forcing himself to deDigivolve, Takato flew as fast as he could, enveloping Rika and pulling her-and Renamon-out of the way of the attack, which whizzed by them entirely.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Just when fear blinded me, you taught me to dream 

I'll give you everything I am, and still fall short of what you've done for me! 

In this life that I live, I hope I can give love unselfishly! 

I've learned the world is bigger than me-you're my daily dose of reality!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


As Guilmon and Renamon headed back over to where the Tamers were at, Takato finally acknowledged the pain on his chest and would've fallen forward if Rika hadn't eased him onto Grani. 

"How...? I thought I'd lost you again!" 

Grinning despite herself, Rika playfully slugged Takato on the cheek. "Never. And what's up with falling back into the Dark Side, huh? The old Gallantmon wasn't good enough for you?" 

Feeling tears trickle down his face, Takato turned away from Rika and got off of Grani. "I just...I just wanted to hurt the D-Reaper the way he hurt you...us. I wasn't thinking clearly, I guess, and instead of becoming Gallantmon, I ended up creating an enemy that could rival his strength! Did I...did I hurt anybody?" 

"Nope. You did, however, make all the other Digimon go back to being Rookies, though, except for Guardromon, Leomon and Marine Angemon." 

Turning to see Impmon, Guilmon, Renamon and the others, Takato's tears fell down even harder. "I guess that wasn't showing good leadership, huh? Me blindly running-flying-out into a battlefield without even trying to see if you were okay? I'm sorry, Rika!" Crying softly, Takato pulled his girlfriend into a gentle hug, noticing the wrappings around her body. "You were right before-I'm not a good Tamer! If I was, I wouldn't have caused all this pain-" 

"Okay-once and for all, stop it! You are a good Tamer, one of the best, if not the best! You brought me out back into the light when no one else would give me the light of day or a second thought back at my school. Even my mom didn't care about me that much-or so I thought. You taught me that emotions don't make you weak-they give you strength, friends, family, people who care about you...and people you've grown to love." 

Takato felt Rika's hand wipe away his tears and he blushed a deep red, unconsciously feeling in his pocket for a certain box, which was still there. 

"You-you mean, you're not angry with me for lying to you?" 

Blushing slightly herself, Rika shook her head. "How could I get angry with a silly Gogglehead like you?" 

"Touching, I'll admit. But, I'm afraid time is up-for all of you! Burning Tornado!!" 

Takato and Rika turned in shock to see Reapermon's main attack head directly toward them. Holding onto each other tightly, they braced themselves and waited for the end to arrive. Shrieking loudly, Grani flew in front of the two Tamers and took the fiery attack head-on! 

"Grani... NO!!!" Takato screamed, trying to help, but Rika held him back. 

"There's nothing we can do for him now..."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: 'Cause you stand here with me-now...yeah! 

'Cause you stand here with me-now...yeah! 

(On and on, we sing this song...) 

'Cause you stand here with me...!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The Tamers and Digimon watched sadly as Grani finally emerged from the smoke left in the wake of Reapermon's attack...badly injured and fading in and out. Even though Rika tried to stop him, Takato flew over toward the metallic dragon. 

"Grani...why? Haven't we suffered enough without you having to sacrifice yourself, too?" 

For the first time, without yelling out his main attack, Grani spoke in a gravelly voice. 

"Had to...protect you...and s...soul mate..." 

Gasping, Takato felt the tears return full force, and he didn't try to stop them. 

"You must...merge with...partner..." 

"Huh?" As the others came in near Takato, he eyed Grani with a confused look. "What are you talking about?" 

"Biomerge...with Guilmon...while there's...still time left..." 

"Go for it, Takato. What do ya got to lose?" Terriermon asked, he and Lopmon reverted to their Rookie stages after defeating the last of the D-Reaper's ADR's. 

"A good friend, but it's a chance I've got to take! You ready boy?" Takato asked, feeling confident in himself once again. 

"Mmm-hmm. Ready, willing and able, Takatomon!" 

"Can the others join in?" Calumon piped up, the triangle on top of his head glowing once again. 

"Yeah-you aren't planning on leaving us out of this last battle, right, Gogglehead?" 

Laughing while blushing, Takato quickly shook his head. "No, no, of course not! I was just gonna suggest that Calumon have you guys Biomerge-Calumon, Jeri?! When'd you-? How'd you-?" 

"It's a loooooong story." Henry said briefly. 

Turning to face Reapermon, Takato declared defiantly, "You'd better watch out, D-Reaper, 'cause the Tamers are about to show you what we can do when we work together!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


On and on we sing, on and on we sing, on and on we sing, on and on we sing, on and on we sing, (On and on we sing this song) 

On and on we sing, on and on we sing... 

(On and on we sing this song) 

On and on we sing, on and on we sing... 

'Cause you stand here with me, 'cause you stand here with me, 'cause you stand here with me 'cause you stand here with me, 'cause you stand here with me... 

'Cause you stand here with me...! (song ends)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Biomerge Digivolution! 

"Biomerge, activate!" Takato, Rika, Henry, Jeri and Ryo chorused, each Tamer changing into data and merging with their respective Digimon one last time. 

"Guilmon Biomerge to...GALLANTMON!!!" 

"Renamon Biomerge to...SAKUYAMON!!!" 

"Terriermon Biomerge to...MEGAGARGOMON!!!" 

"Leomon Biomerge to...SABERLEOMON!!!" 

"Monodramon Biomerge to...JUSTIMON!!!" 

"Beelzemon: Blast Mode, activate!" Impmon yelled out, instantly changing into his Mega mode. 

Before any of the Digimon could go into action, Grani shrieked loudly as he dispersed into data and forced Gallantmon to absorb it! Gallantmon roared in pain, whereas Sakuyamon grunted in surprise. 

"New data...instructions on how to improve power levels...Mode Change, activate!" Gallantmon roared bravely, vanishing in a blaze of light. 

Mode Change activated! 

"Gallantmon Mode Change to...GALLANTMON: CRIMSON MODE!!" 

Where Gallantmon once was, a cooler, and hotter, Mega Digimon was in his place! Instead of his cape, a significant number of wings adorned his back, the sword was no longer mergable with his right arm, but looked like a normal sword held firmly in his left hand, and the most obvious change was that he was completely covered in red! 

"Whoa! Grani's sacrificial move caused Gallantmon to transform into Gallantmon: Crimson Mode! His Invincible Sword attack is extremely hot, but this 'Quo Vadis' stuff sounds a little high-tech for Takato to handle." 

Kazu looked away from his Digivice to eye the new and improved Gallantmon, who started speaking in Takato and Guilmon's voices. "Reapermon, in your quest to pursue power, you have not only managed to corrupt me, but you have killed someone who I deeply trusted with my life, and now to prove to you that we shall not back down until you are defeated, I challenge you to take on all of us Mega Digimon and see if you can defeat us without blinking!" 

Laughing manically, the D-Reaper stared Gallantmon in the eye. "I accept your challenge, and when you are defeated, try not to take it too personal. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" 

"YAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" At that instant, Gallantmon, Sakuyamon, MegaGargomon, SaberLeomon, Justimon and Beelzemon raced forward to engage Reapermon in battle one more time! 

Finally-Gallantmon: Crimson Mode has appeared! Can the Tamer team come through together as a team and take down the D-Reaper once and for all? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	15. Chapter XIV: Love Conquers All

Me: After all these careful days, weeks and months planning for my very first Tamers story-"Tamer V.S. Tamer"-it all boils down to these final two chapters in "The Lost Tamer!" I don't own Digimon or "In The End," by Linkin Park. 

Takato: Well, at least we're going out with a bang, right? 

Rika: He's just lucky you fought through your darkness and found a way back to me, or he'd be in a world of trouble now. 

Me: (laughs weakly) Anyway, many thanks to everyone who reviewed "Tamer V.S. Tamer," "Takato V.S. Takato" and "The Lost Tamer!" I shant be gone for too long-just need to gear up for finals and afterward, I'll be back with a new Rukato storyline I've got planned up-hopefully after I've finished with "The Final Battle." 

Rika: Just what do you have planned for us in this new story, anyway? 

Me: For one thing, it's based off of the movie "Eraser," that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Takato: And...? 

Me: (grins) That's mostly it, for now. 

(Takato and Rika groan) 

Me: By the way...(pointedly eyes Takato) for insulting Creed, this last scene that I wasn't going to use-but I am going to use it now-will be on your shoulders! 

Takato: What are you talking about? 

Me: You'll see-don't want to frighten the readers off too early.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Chapter XIV-Love Conquers All   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"It's time to use the power that brought us here in the first place!" -Takato Matsuki 

"Why don't we just fight off all the Digimon at once?!" -Rika Nonaka 

"This is the point of no return!" -Henry Wong 

"You can't escape destiny, Mr. Leomon!" -Jeri Katou   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


At least things are going okay for the team now, right? After admitting the truth to Jeri, Henry recieved a pep talk from his soul mate, insisting that he was one of the strongest Tamers she'd known. That act of selfless love, from both Tamers, caused Jeri and Calumon to be freed from their bubble! As for Takato, he broke free from his darkness only when Rika revealed herself-and placed herself in danger. Then, just as Reapermon fired a powerful Burning Tornado attack, Grani got in between it and the reunited couple! After having Takato, Rika, Henry, Jeri and Ryo Biomerge one last time with their partners, Grani dissolved completely into data and forced Gallantmon to absorb it. That brought on a whole new change to the Mega Digimon, creating Gallantmon: Crimson Mode! Can the Tamers truly work as a team and defeat the D-Reaper once and for all?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Do you honestly think that the six of you combined can stop me?" Reapermon laughed evilly as he extended his scythe-like claws, prepared for battle. 

"On a scale of 1-10? The odds seem like they're in your favor, but at least we'll die trying! Quo Vadis!!" 

"I don't think so. I have plans for your world, and I cannot allow you to defeat me with just one nudge! Bone Duster!!" 

WHAM!!!! The two attacks collided and exploded on impact, rocking the entire area around the Tamers! 

"Whoa-keep your arms and legs inside the rock at all times!" Kazu insisted as he and Kenta kept a firm grip on Susie, Ai and Makoto. 

"Is this a battle we're doomed to lose?" Guardromon asked worriedly. 

"No way! With Gallantmon: Crimson Mode, Sakuyamon, MegaGargomon, SaberLeomon, Justimon and Beelzemon: Blast Mode out there, they'll have this thing wrapped up before dinnertime." Kazu retorted, a grin of confidence on his face. 

"I hope you're right about this, because if we're all defeated here, I'll make your eternity a living-" 

"Guardromon!" Kazu spat out, covering his partner's mouth instantly. "There are kids here!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


(It starts with one...) 

One thing, I don't know why-it doesn't even matter how hard you try 

Keep that in mind-I designed this rhyme to explain in due time (all I know) 

Time is a valuable thing-watch it fly by as the pendulum swings, watch it count down to the end of the day, the clock ticks life away 

(It's so unreal!)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"We're not gonna just stand by and let you invade our world without a battle, pal! Mega Barrage!!" MegaGargomon yelled out. 

Dodging the blow, Reapermon grinned and replied, "What do you think this is? Wait-I know. This is a massacre-I'm about to destroy you, your friends and the entire Digital World at the same time. Burning Tornado!!" 

MegaGargomon grunted as he was blasted backward into SaberLeomon and Justimon! The three of them weren't too badly hurt by the unexpected attack. 

"Why don't you try that on someone who's right next to you? Dragon Helix!!" 

Unaware of the sudden appearance of another foe so quickly, Sakuyamon smirked while unleashing her main attack at Reapermon, who roared in anger as he was blasted into some protruding rocks! 

"Guess you should keep a better watch on where your enemies are at, D-Reaper."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Didn't look out below-watch the time go right out the window 

Trying to hold on, but didn't even know 

I wasted it all just to (watch you go...!) 

I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart 

What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Reapermon growled angrily while getting back up, his wounds unmistakably revealed at that instant. 

"Hey, look, guys! He comes apart!" Calumon piped up. 

"I'm not done with you yet!" 

"I think you are. Howling Crusher!!" SaberLeomon growled heatedly. Jeri's voice spoke out loud and clear as she added, "This is for what you just did to Henry!" 

Chuckling despite the injuries he'd just received, Reapermon said, "So, you care for him, do you? Enough to sacrifice your own life? Let's find out! Grim Slasher!!" Unleashing his claws once more, Reapermon flew directly toward the weakened Mega Digimon, who was still struggling to get back up! 

"Henry, look out!" 

"Wha-?" 

Laughing loudly, Reapermon lashed out at MegaGargomon with one set of claws, unaware that SaberLeomon was coming up behind him. 

"For denying me the chance to take over your world...'death shall be your ultimate punishment!'" 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Terriermon and Henry screamed as the claws sank deeply through both of their bodies, just as they had against Rika and Renamon! Quickly turning around, Reapermon lashed out his second set of claws at SaberLeomon, wounding them instantly! Both Mega Digimon reverted back a second later.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter! 

I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end it doesn't even matter...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Henry groaned as he barely managed to fly over Reapermon and clutched Jeri's hand with his own, leading her and the two Digimon over toward a lone rock. 

"Jeri...are you okay?" 

Eyeing her boyfriend and noticing the wounds deeply gorged in his own chest as well as her own, Jeri replied, "I don't think we'll be going out anytime soon, but I'll be okay. Leomon...?" 

To her surprise-and Henry's-while Leomon had reverted to a Rookie Digimon, Terriermon had reverted to an In-Training Digimon! Both Tamers pulled out their Digivices instantly. 

"Ha! Gummymon, an In-Training Digimon. Cute little thing, but he has a pretty decent attack-Bubble Blow." 

"Henry, look! Elecmon, a Data-type Digimon. Don't count him as one of the weaker ones, because his Sparkling Thunder attack will leave you stunned!" 

"I guess we should take these guys back to the Real World while we can, huh?" Henry asked. 

"Actually..." Gummymon couldn't finish what he wanted to say without hurting his friend's feelings, so he stopped speaking. 

"What is it?" 

"What Gummymon wanted to say is that I think it's time for us to return to the Digital World for good." Elecmon said. 

That halted their conversations entirely! After seeing the tears trickle down Jeri's face, Henry wasn't sure if he could stop his own from falling. 

"But, why?" 

"Momentai! It won't be forever. We'll come back someday, right?" Gummymon asked. 

"Someday. Remember, Jeri, you have a lion's heart." 

Wiping her tears away as gently as he could, Henry wiped his own tears off before motioning toward the other Tamers. 

"What am I gonna tell Susie about this? She'll be crushed." 

"Just tell her that everything'll be okay-as long as we aren't attacked by any evil Digimon while we're stuck like this." 

Henry couldn't help but laugh at that statement. "Terriermon!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


One thing, I don't know why-it doesn't even matter how hard you try! 

Keep that in mind-I designed this rhyme to remind myself how (I tried so hard)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Justimon kept launching attack after attack at Reapermon, but he was just too quick for him, even with his injuries! 

"Your efforts are futile! Give in, or even better-join me! With our combined strength, no one can stop us from-" 

"Invincible Sword!!" 

"Talisman Sphere!!" This time, instead of focusing it between her hands, Sakuyamon focused the beam of light to shoot out from the top of her staff. The two attacks hit Reapermon directly in the chest, sending him toward Beelzemon, who smiled. 

"Finally-I get some action! Chaos Flare!!" 

The Virus Digimon roared in anger as he was struck in the back and sent onto a rock! Despite his multiple injuries, he still wasn't defeated. At that second, Reapermon started laughing again. 

"What's he laughing about?" Beelzemon demanded. 

"Don't know, but it can't be about bread, because we don't have any." 

"Guilmon!" 

"You fools! Don't you see? All this time, you and I have traded off attack after attack, not knowing what you were doing to the stability of the barrier that brought you here in the first place. All that has to happen now is this: with just one blast of pure power, I can trap you all here for eternity!" 

Glaring at Reapermon with anger in her eyes, Sakuyamon responded, "Being trapped here doesn't really bode well with my plans for the future." 

"Everyone-get out! Now!" Gallantmon roared angrily. 

"You got it, Chumly." Kazu reported as he and Kenta hustled out the others alongside Jeri and Henry. Within seconds, they were safely gone. Beelzemon sighed in relief. 

"At least they're safe." 

"What about us?" Justimon asked. 

"Weird, isn't it?" Takato couldn't help but speak out. "Out of all the ways I imagined dying, being blasted by an enemy Digimon wasn't the way I expected to go." 

"At least we're together, right?" 

"Yeah-at least."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


In spite of the way you were mocking me, acting like I was part of your property, remembering all the times you fought with me-I'm surprised it got so (far!) 

Things aren't the way they were before-you wouldn't even recognize me anymore 

Not that you knew me back then, but it all comes back to me (in the end...!) 

You kept everything inside, and even though I tried, it all fell apart 

What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Very touching-two Biomerged Digimon, poised for battle, their humans in love and ready to die. I hope eternity takes pity on all of you. Burning Tornado!!" 

Growling, Beelzemon and Justimon flew forward, launching their most powerful attacks. "Chaos Flare!!" 

"Justice Kick!!" 

The attacks connected before Reapermon's attack overrode theirs and caused a gigantic explosion! When the smoke faded away, Gallantmon and Sakuyamon saw Ryo, barely conscious, holding onto two In-Training Digimon. 

"It's up to the two of you-and Calumon, 'cause I know he's still here. Don't give up!" Ryo gasped, making his way to the barrier and, with the two Digimon, vanished inside. 

"And then...there were two. Or should I say, five?" 

"What's gonna happen now?" Calumon asked, appearing on top of Sakuymon's shoulder. 

"First, you're gonna get over toward that barrier and get with everyone else!" Rika didn't hide the irritation in her voice this time. 

"No! I wanna help you guys out." 

"How? You can't make us Digivolve higher than this-I think." Takato was confused, but he turned back to see Reapermon, patiently waiting. 

"Maybe not, but I'm still useful in these situations." 

Despite her better judgment, Sakuyamon picked Calumon up and tucked him into the crook of her arm. "Stay here, and be careful!" 

"And now, the final judgment! Grim Slasher!!" 

"Not today, D-Reaper! Invincible Sword!!" 

"Talisman Sphere!!" 

Knowing that they'd completely drained themselves and their Digimon of any reserves they could've called up, Takato and Rika relied on their own willpower to help them through this. A second later, the three attacks combined before Reapermon's claws actually split Gallantmon's sword and Sakuyamon's staff in two and once again, stabbed the two Digimon in the chest! 

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Not only did Takato and Rika have to endure their own pain, but they had to endure the pain of the other as well! Losing everything but the will to fight, Gallantmon: Crimson Mode deDigivolved into Takato and an unknown Digimon; the same thing happened to Rika and Renamon. The two of them, as well as the Digimon, slammed into the rock that had helped the other Tamers get back to the Real World! Reapermon laughed in victory as he retracted his claws, preparing himself to depart from this realm.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter! 

I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end it doesn't even matter...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Gogglehead...?" 

Raising his head up, Takato looked deep into Rika's eyes, brimmed with tears. 

"Yeah?" 

"I have to admit-I didn't think this was the way I'd die either, but at least we're together, right?" 

"Mmm-hmm." Even though his body ached so badly, Takato pulled his hand out and grasped Rika's with it. 

"Come on, you two-you can't give up! The world's counting on you!" Calumon insisted. 

"He's right, Rika. Haven't we defeated Digimon more ruthless as this one?" Looking downward, Rika giggled while managing to pull out her Digivice. 

"Takato, look! Viximon, a Data-type Digimon. She must be Renamon's In-Training form." 

Takato laughed himself as he eyed Guilmon's younger stage. 

"Have you seen a Digimon like this, Rika? Gigimon, another In-Training Digimon." 

"You guys can't give up now-who's gonna make my Guilmon bread if Reapermon takes over the world?" 

"They're right, Rika! We can't give up yet." Takato forced himself to stand on his feet and pulled out one last Modify card. 

"We've come too far to lose to some wanna-be Digimon!" Rika added, getting up as well and pulling out a Modify card of her own. 

"Game time!" Calumon declared as the triangle on his head glowed brightly.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I put my trust in you, pushed as far as I can go-for all this, there's only one thing you should know... 

I put my trust in you, pushed as far as I can go-for all this, there's only one thing you should know...!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"The two of you should get to safety now. We'll handle this." Takato replied. 

"I'm not letting my partner get blasted to atoms without me, Takatomon." 

"We're in this together." 

Staring at each other briefly, Takato and Rika kissed with extreme passion before turning to face Reapermon once again. 

Digimodify! 

"Digimodify!" Takato and Rika chorused defiantly. 

"Sword of Courage, activate!!" 

"Daggers of Love, activate!!" 

Immediately, not only had their weapons appeared once again, but Takato and Rika's wounds had been healed up completely! 

"You ready for this, Gogglehead?" Rika joked as she cradled Viximon under her elbow. 

"As long as your by my side." Takato admitted while holding onto Gigimon and Calumon. 

The two Tamers flew upward, poised to face the enemy once again. 

"One final attempt? You're persistent-I'll give you that, but now the game is over! Burning Tornado!!" 

Almost as if they'd thought it, Takato and Rika flew in different directions-Takato went up, Rika went down-and avoided the attack entirely. Focusing on everything they'd went through, Takato and Rika waited until their weapons glowed with energy. 

"This is for what you did to Grani!" Takato growled as a red and blue beams snaked out from the hilt and struck Reapermon in the back. 

"And this is for kidnapping Calumon, Jeri and Takato!" Rika added as red and blue bursts of electricity flew out from the Daggers before hitting Reapermon in the chest! 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! MAKE NO MISTAKE TAMERS-I WILL BE BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!" At that second, the D-Reaper exploded in a blast of data, absorbed by Gigimon, Viximon and Calumon. 

The weapons changed back into their Modify cards and their Digivices as Takato and Rika embraced each other tightly. 

"Hey, this is really fun and all, but you think you two could let us go now?" Calumon's muffled voice came out from under Takato's shirt. Separating quickly, the two released the Digimon, who headed inside the barrier. 

"Guess it's time, huh?" Rika asked gently. 

"Guess so." Takato agreed as he and his girlfriend followed the Digimon inside the barrier. Back in Shinjuku, the giant blob disappeared entirely, as if it had never been there at all.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter! 

I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end it doesn't even matter...(final chords; song ends)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Finally appearing back in the Real World with the Digimon, Takato and Rika looked around the park, expecting to see the others, but what they saw was Jeri wrapped in Henry's arms, tears flowing down both of their faces. 

"Guys, what's wrong?" Takato asked, searching for any signs of trouble. 

Noticing Takato there, Henry allowed a tiny smile to cross his face. "Terriermon's...gone, and so are Leomon and everyone else." 

Not even this slipped past Takato! Both he and Rika looked down at their Digimon with worried expressions on their faces. "You mean...?" 

Henry didn't even have to say it. They just knew. 

"It's time, Rika." 

Refusing to let her go, Rika grabbed Viximon tightly in her arms, struggling with her tears. 

"I don't care about what other people would think-I'm not giving you up, Renamon!" 

"This isn't goodbye-at least, not in that state. I'll be back one day, you'll see. You don't need me to look out for you anymore. It looks like someone else is doing that perfectly right now." 

Turning to gaze at Takato, Rika felt her cheeks grow hot a moment later. "You promise you'll come back?" 

"I will. Until then, Rika." 

Releasing her hold on her partner, Rika watched with reddened eyes as Viximon vanished into the portal inside Guilmon's old home. 

"Goodbye, Renamon." 

Takato looked at Gigimon's eyes, which told him everything he needed to know. It was evident he wanted to go with the others to the Digital World, but he didn't want to hurt Takato's feelings. Calumon quickly gave Rika one final set of Eskimo Kisses before departing inside the portal. 

"Well, why aren't you hopping in there after Calumon?" The In-Training Digimon looked up at Takato, who had made his face a mask, completely unreadable by anyone, including Rika. 

"Go on in there-I can get along just fine without you; I've done so before, right?" 

"Gogglehead, not like this!" Rika insisted, grabbing Takato's hand before he pulled away a second later. Takato couldn't let the others see how this was eating up at him, how he was giving up the best friend he'd ever had. 

"Who wants a weak Digimon anyway? So get outta here!" Takato growled, his voice cold and harsh-harsher than anything Rika could've conjured up. 

"Takato, this isn't right!" Jeri spoke up irritably. 

"This could be the last time you ever talk to Guilmon, and you're leaving everything like this?" Henry asked. 

Not responding to his friends' pleas, Takato placed Gigimon down at the entrance to his old home. 

"Well, guess this is goodbye. You'll have to hunt your own food now, boy-you'd better talk to Renamon about where to find it, 'cause I'm sure bread doesn't grow on trees there." Gigimon giggled to himself; Takato turned away and looked up at the stars in the sky, not even noticing Rika pull him into a hug. 

"I'll be fine, Takatomon. Don't forget your promise about Rika and that box!" 

Feeling the tears he'd worked so hard to keep from showing brim around his eyes, Takato whispered sadly, "Yeah...maybe I'll see you again someday..." Crying openly, the former leader of the Tamers pulled away from his girlfriend's embrace and ran away from that place that held too many memories! 

"TAKATO!" 

"Goodbye, Takatomon! Until next time!" Gigimon yelled out as he disappeared inside the hole one last time. 

Takato heard Rika's footsteps as she, Henry and Jeri ran as fast as they could, but he had too much of a head start on all of them. He was too busy crying, running, wiping tears away and lost in his own thoughts to even register what they were saying. 

"I don't want you to go, but I know it's safer for you in the Digital World! Take care, boy. We'll see each other again one day, and when we do, I'll keep my promise and show Rika what's inside this box. Goodbye, Guilmon. Don't forget me!" 

Almost as if he heard him at that instant, Takato swore he could hear his partner roar out his most powerful attack: "PyroSphere!!" 

Man! For a powerful Tamer like Takato, who knew he could be so harsh just to hide how he really felt about losing Guilmon? But does this mean the Digimon are gone for good? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters! 


	16. Epilogue: Rika's Special Hero

Me: (sighs sadly) Once again, it all comes down to this-I thought I'd be ending the week like this, not starting it off like this! 

Takato: Huh? 

Me: (groans) On a happier note, I won't miss his lack of understanding stuff! 

Rika: That's what I like best about my Gogglehead! 

Takato: (blushes) 

Me: Onward, but first-I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "Lullaby" by Creed or "Hero" off of the Spider-Man soundtrack which won't be out until this Wednesday, matter-of-fact. 

Rika: Then how do you know about the music in the first place? 

Me: Stations such as New Rock 104 play it every now and then. Many thanks go out to everyone who supported me and reviewed ever since "Tamer V.S. Tamer," "Takato V.S. Takato" and "The Lost Tamer!" 

Terriermon: Anything else? 

Me: Yeah-that without you knuckleheads around, I wouldn't have the inspiration needed for future stories, such as "Digital Eraser," the next story that should be a Rukato, but have myself and a few other authors in it, like Lonewalker and Flamegaruru. 

Takato: What do you mean "knuckleheads?" 

Rika: He's kidding-right? (eyes me with an evil look) 

Me: Yeah-that's me, the kidder! Now, onward to the final chapter of "The Lost Tamer!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer 

Epilogue-Rika's Special Hero   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"You had such potential, but then again, all good things must come to an end." -Q, Star Trek: The Next Generation 

"I didn't do anything but trust you, and I guess, myself..." Takato Matsuki 

"Okay-I'm with you!" -Rika Nonaka   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Talk about a climactic battle! The Tamers may have had the advantage by having a significant number of Mega Digimon, but Reapermon hadn't even felt their attacks until Sakuyamon pulled a sneak attack on him and blasted him into some rocks with her Dragon Helix move. One by one, the Tamers were beaten and forced to return to the Real World until it was just down to Gallantmon: Crimson Mode, Sakuyamon, Reapermon and Calumon, who thought he could help pull off a miracle. Surprisingly enough, the D-Reaper destroyed the Mega's weapons and seriously injured them-twice, since Takato and Rika still felt the other's pain! It took their combined efforts as well as Calumon to summon the Sword of Courage and the Daggers of Love one last time to defeat the evil Reapermon. You thought things would end when the Digimon had to return to the Digital World? Not as long as the Tamers are still around!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato sighed a deep sigh as he found himself at the spot where he'd first been forced to do battle with Rika, a few miles away from the school. It had been a month since the Digimon had returned to the Digital World, but things weren't over yet, as far as the general public was concerned. The Tamers were considered heroes for stopping the D-Reaper, even if he hadn't publicly appeared in the Real World. So, now wherever Takato went, people he knew and didn't know would either shake his hand, give him a hearty slap on the back and congratulate him on a job well done! His response to the entire thing? 

"Uh...it was nothing!" 

As for the others, things had somewhat returned to normal. Henry was still together with Jeri and was still able to catch up on all the schoolwork he'd missed; Jeri's father had eventually accepted the fact that Henry was her boyfriend and even went as far as to invite him and his family over for dinner. Susie was, as Henry put it, "still as energetic as ever, if not more!" She now liked to pretend like she was Lopmon around the house, and it was all he could do to keep himself from yanking his hair out! Luckily, Jeri gave him a few ideas to pass the time by. (A/N: Not that, and definitely not yet!) 

Kazu and Kenta were ecstatic about being famous and well known, except for one little detail. Kazu had put it like this: "We've saved the whole world, and we still have to go to school?!" 

Ryo still got in trouble by his father even if he'd returned for a brief time to the Real World-after you'd been gone for at least 10 months in the Digital World, wouldn't you expect your parents to get a little schizophrenic on you? 

Ai and Makoto hadn't been missed by their parents at all-thanks to Kazu's clever planning, they'd convinced their parents that they'd stayed at a friend's house and had lost track of time as well as forgetting to call. 

As for Rika...Takato felt tears brim around his eyes. She hadn't contacted him at all ever since that day he'd given Guilmon the riot act and left him to head back into the Digital World without even saying goodbye, so he figured that was her harsh way of saying that the relationship was over. Not even stopping the tears from falling, he felt his pocket for the little black box that was still there since he'd made that promise-it seemed so long ago... 

"Hey, Gogglehead! Keeping yourself busy, haven't you?" 

Looking up, Takato laughed in surprise and joy at seeing Rika, dressed in her usual attire-shirt with the heart complete, pack of Modify cards that was still a habit for all the former Tamers to do and Digivice strapped to her side. 

"It feels like Heaven's finally answered my call after so long, but why now?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I am so high, I can hear Heaven 

I am so high, I can hear Heaven 

Oh, but Heaven, no Heaven don't hear me...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"So, there a reason you haven't called to have me help you out with the Guilmon bread?" 

Feeling his cheeks grow hot, Takato replied, "Well, I thought that you didn't want anything to do with me after I left you and the others in the park without saying goodbye to Guilmon..." 

"Let's try a little test-" A second later, Rika balled up her fist and, with a cynical grin, punched herself in the stomach, wincing in pain. Takato suddenly gasped loudly as he dropped to his knees as if the wind had been knocked out of him! 

"-would you have felt that punch if I didn't want anything to do with a hero like you?" 

Takato groaned while managing to stand up. "Not you too, Rika! Almost everywhere I've gone this past month, it's been 'congrats, Takato!' or 'way to go, goggle boy!' or 'would you like to go out with me sometime, Takato?' It's enough to make me go crazy!" 

Eyeing Takato with a raised eyebrow, Rika retorted, "You think this has been a walk in the park for me? The girls at my school are still talking about me and how I stabbed my own boyfriend-who I didn't even bother to tell any of them about-in the chest during an attack on the city! People who challenge me to a card game are asking how it felt to actually battle alongside Ryo Akiyama instead of against him-and I still want a rematch against that jerk!" 

"I'm gonna assume you still want to show Ryo up, so I'll ignore that remark." Takato replied while scratching the back of his head. 

"True, but seeing you take on Justimon as Gallantmon is something to remember." 

"Huh? But, weren't you at Hypnos during that-?" 

After rummaging through her bag, Rika pulled out some pictures of Gallantmon and Grani taking on Justimon in the middle of Shinjuku. 

"How'd you-? When'd you-? Where'd you-?" 

"It would take too long to explain, Gogglehead, so here-you can have a few, and I will frame the others." 

"What?! Frame the others? But what would people say?" Takato exclaimed in shock. 

"They'd ask me 'weren't you scared being out there and taking those photos, knowing that one stray attack might've killed you?' And I would respond with, 'Nope-I wasn't within 100 yards of the action, and I still got great shots!'" 

Takato sighed as he pocketed the pictures while looking up at the sky. "What I wouldn't give for a Digital Field to appear right now." 

Nodding in agreement, Rika stared deeply into Takato's brown eyes with her own violet ones, losing herself at that instant. "You and me both..." 

Suddenly, their Digivices went off at the same time, startling both of them and causing them to jump back a few feet! 

"It-it can't be!" Takato and Rika both looked at their Digivices which had started to glow brightly seconds later. "Can it?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: And they say that a hero can save us-I'm not gonna stand here and wait! 

I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles, watch as we all fly away...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Following the signals, Takato and Rika ended up running into Henry and Jeri, both of whom had received the same signals which had lead them all back to Guilmon's old home! 

"Okay-who's there?" Takato demanded irritably once their Digivices had stopped glowing a moment later. 

"Sheesh-we try to come back, and who tries to threaten us? The one person I didn't think it would be." 

"Terriermon!" Henry raced inside excitedly with Jeri, Rika and Takato after him to see a significant number of Digimon exiting the portal. 

"Didn't I tell you we'd be back someday, Henry?" Terriermon piped up, a broad smile on his face. 

"Yeah, you did, and I'm glad you kept your promise." 

"Leomon!" 

Despite the bear hug Jeri was giving him, the Champion Digimon gently hugged her back. "It's good to see you again, Jeri, and to see that you aren't injured like you had been against the D-Reaper." 

"After we'd dropped you guys off, our wounds mysteriously disappeared since we were in the Digital World, I guess." 

"Renamon-it's great to see you!" Rika happily embraced her old friend, truly pleased to see her once again. 

"It's good to be back home, Rika." 

After noticing the other Tamers reuniting with their Digimon, Takato looked around for a familiar face, or even two, but they hadn't appeared, and it looked like the portal would close any minute!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Someone told me love would all save us 

But how can that be? Look what love gave us-a world full of killing and blood spilling; that world never came...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"He didn't come back...I guess I shouldn't be too surprised." Takato started to exit the place his partner had once dubbed home when Rika stopped him, a serene smile on her face. 

"Where do you think you're going off to?" 

"Do you see a red Dinosaur Digimon around here at all? 'Cause I sure don't!" 

Even though he was being hugged tightly by his two Tamers, Impmon smirked as he said, "Boy, for someone who had a hand in saving this world from destruction, you're not too bright, are you?" 

"What are you talking about?!" Takato growled angrily, but he heard two voices speak from behind him a second later. 

"Takatomon, is that you?" 

"Ooh-Eskimo Kisses!" 

Once again, Takato felt tears come to his eyes as he turned and hugged Guilmon so hard, the Rookie Digimon felt his legs would break off. 

"Guilmon! I thought you wouldn't come back, boy." 

"I would've been out first, but Terriermon said I should try to make my entrance more dramatic-I don't precisely know what that means, but it sounded good enough. You do remember that promise, right?" 

Looking over at Rika, Takato nodded in response, reaching for the black box in his pocket. 

"How could I forget?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: And they say that a hero can save us-I'm not gonna stand here and wait! 

I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles, watch as we all fly away...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Takato steeled himself as he and Guilmon headed over to where Rika was yanking Calumon off of her head, seemingly irritated, but secretly happy that the In-Training Digimon had returned with Guilmon. It wouldn't have been right not to have that fuzzball stay away for too long. 

"Okay, just walk over, start this speech that you've practiced whenever you had a chance to, hold it out and hope she doesn't break your heart in two!" Takato thought to himself as he cautiously tapped Rika on the shoulder. 

"Um...Rika? There's something I've got to say." 

"Yeah?" 

Seeing practically everyone's eyes focused on him, Takato blushed while holding out the box with one hand. "Oh, yeah, sure-no pressure, no pressure at all!" he thought sarcastically. 

"Ever since we saved the Real World from Daemon and had to stop the D-Reaper from causing all kinds of havoc and chaos, I've wanted to ask you something, but I never thought I'd have the opportunity to do this until now, with everyone still looking at me." Gulping, Takato opened the box up, which revealed a ring shaped to look like a broken heart, but at a glance from the sun, the heart looked whole! Rika-as well as everyone else-gasped in amazement and wondered where Takato had gotten the money to pay for this. "I know this isn't something a hero would do, which kinda threw me off guard when you called me your hero earlier, but I just wanted to know...Rika Nonaka, sometime in the future, when we've grown up a little bit, will you marry me?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Now that the world isn't ending, it's love that I'm sending to you... 

It isn't the love of a hero, and that's why I fear it won't do...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Wow! Who knew Takato would have the guts to say all that right in front of us?" Terriermon asked. 

"Terriermon!" Henry laughed quietly, despite his partner's impeccable timing. "You haven't changed a bit." 

"Ooh...pretty ring!" Calumon noted while sitting on top of Guilmon's head. 

"What do you think she'll say, Ryo?" Kazu asked calmly. 

"For once, I don't know." came the response. 

"Well, Rika? I think Takato's waiting for an answer." Renamon said. 

Feeling her cheeks grow hot as well as tears flow down her face, Rika smiled gently at Takato while responding. "Takato...this is something that a hero would do, and even though you've gone through a lot of turmoil during our adventures here, in the Digital World and beyond, you were able to pull through. You even tried to be my friend time and time again, even if I didn't want you around before. You trusted me after I broke up with you in the Digital World when we were fighting your clone off. I'm sure my mom will definitely want to pay for this and I'd have to wear a dress, but if I could be with you for the rest of my life, one day would be worth it. Takato Matsuki-my own Gogglehead..." Rika plucked the ring out of the box and carefully placed it on her ring finger. "...yes, I will marry you." A second later, she pulled him into an intense kiss, ignoring the cheers of the others around her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chorus: And they say that a hero can save us-I'm not gonna stand here and wait! 

I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles, watch as we all fly away... 

And they're watching us...(watching...) 

They're watching us...(watching...) as we all fly away 

And they're watching us...(watching...) 

They're watching us...(watching...) as we all fly away, yeah...! 

And they're watching us...(watching...) 

They're watching us...(watching...) as we all fly away, yeah, yeah! 

Whoa...! (song ends)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Way to go, Chumly!" Kazu screeched excitedly, on top of Guardromon who had to struggle to keep the two of them from falling over. 

"Congratulations, Rika." Ryo allowed himself a tiny smile while standing beside Cyberdramon. 

Guilmon and Calumon were busy dancing around, pleased that Takato had kept his promise. Renamon allowed one lone tear of happiness to roll down her face before wiping it away. 

"So, how do you think those two are gonna be married?" Terriermon asked, a wide grin back on his face. 

"Well..." Henry closed his eyes and, along with Jeri, imagined how things would turn out in the future... 

Flashforward: seven years later 

"You may...continue kissing the bride." 

An older Henry Wong grinned while Takato continued kissing his bride up until they both had to pull away from lack of air. 

"Told ya-five minutes!" 

"Terriermon-now's not the time." The grin was still on Henry's face as Takato and Rika turned to face the crowd. 

"May I present: Mr and Mrs. Takato Matsuki!" 

Everyone either cheered excitedly or clapped for the newlyweds, who'd started their march down the aisle. As Rika had predicted, her mother had paid for the entire wedding-Takato was lucky he'd been able to convince her that his parents could bring the bread and other food items, which included the Guilmon bread, the piece of work that the three original Tamers and Digimon, as well as Jeri and Leomon, had worked on during most of the day. 

"May I have this dance, Mrs. Matsuki?" Takato had an impish smile on his face as a familiar band started playing. Rika couldn't help but blush as she recognized the band and the song they were playing. 

"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Nonaka." His smile growing wider, Takato pulled Rika close to his body as the song started off.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Hush, my love 

Now don't you cry-everything will be all right 

Close your eyes and drift in dream, rest in peaceful sleep...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"How'd you manage to get these guys on such short notice?" Rika whispered into Takato's ear as they danced slowly in the middle of the aisle. 

"Being one of the heroes who saved the world from Armageddon seven years ago has its advantages." Takato replied calmly, giving Rika a peck on the nose. The young woman giggled quietly while twirling around her husband ecstatically.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"If there's one thing I hope I showed you, if there's one thing I hope I showed you, hope I showed you... 

Just give love to all, just give love to all, just give love to all...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


While being eyed by everyone who were patiently waiting in the pews, Rika felt like nodding off but remembered that they still had to make their getaway as swiftly as possible and they couldn't do that as long as she was conked out. 

"Did you ever think that this day would come so quickly?" Rika asked, her hair draped over her shoulders and a few strands on Takato's face. 

"To be honest, it came too fast for me!" Smirking, Rika playfully whacked him in the back of his head. 

"No more jokes until later tonight."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Oh, my love in my arms tight, every day you give me life 

As I drift off to your world-rest in peaceful sleep...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"You may still act like your as tough as nails, but I know that even the former Digimon Queen has to have at least one weakness." Takato insisted as the band headed into the final chords of the song. 

"True-that would be the work of the former Digimon King, who could help me bear a Digimon Prince or Princess one day." Takato's eyes widened in surprise, whereas Rika's smile grew slightly. 

"Not now, Gogglehead-someday in the future, however."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"I know there's one thing that you showed me, I know there's one thing that you showed me, that you showed me... 

Just give love to all, just give love to all, just give love to all, let's give love to all, let's give love to all, just give love to all, let's give love to all, just give love to all, let's give love to all..." (final chords are played; song fades out)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Everyone who was there broke out into applause-Henry, the Best Man and Guilmon, the Best Mon, Jeri, the Maid of Honor, Renamon, the Mon of Honor, their parents, Calumon, the Ring Mon, the other Tamers and their partners, Yamaki, Riley, and the rest of the "Monster Makers" as Takato and Rika bowed out and exited the chapel while hopping onto a gassed up motorcycle that had the usual sign on the back-"Just Married!" 

"Ready to ride off into the sunset, Gogglehead?" Rika asked, a wicked grin on her face while pulling her hair back up into a ponytail. 

"As long as I'm with you, we could go down to the center of the Earth." Takato replied, a smile on his own face. Seconds later, the two of them peeled out on the motorcycle, headed off to an unknown destination that only they knew about... 

End flashforward 

"Hey Brainiac!" Rika broke Henry and Jeri out of their thoughts of what could be, a smile on her face and Takato's as the two of them pointed in the distance. 

"Is-is that what I think it is?" Henry asked in astonishment. 

"Yep-a Digital Field for your enjoyment!" Terriermon stated. 

"Everyone else headed home a few moments before that thing popped up." Takato explained calmly. 

"Well, you said you wanted a Digital Field, Takato, so here's one set up!" Rika joked. 

Takato eyed his bride-to-be with a look of confidence in his eyes as the triangle on Calumon's head glowed a deep red. 

"Well, Takato? Ready?" Henry asked. 

Nodding, Takato started forward, declaring, "Just like old times..." 

With smiles on their faces, their Digivices and Modify cards gripped tightly in their hands, Takato, Rika, Henry, Jeri and their Digimon headed onward to start another grand adventure. With the Digimon by their sides, the Tamers could succeed in anything imaginable, as long as they believed in themselves and worked as a team to handle the toughest missions-together... 


End file.
